Liberal Forum

razoo » 16 Jun 2022, 10:36 pm » wrote: ↑

16 Jun 2022, 10:36 pm

Razoo,

It feels like every day now, we get blasted with new revelations about how Ginni Thomas — the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — tried to overturn the 2020 election.
 

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had lent her name and presence to a lecture series cosponsored by the liberal NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, an advocacy group that often argues before the high court in support of women's rights and abortion rights.

Ginsburg's involvement with the legal activist group, and recent outside activities by a conservative colleague, Justice Antonin Scalia, have touched off a debate over what kinds of extrajudicial appearances and contacts are appropriate for Supreme Court justices.  The code of conduct for the federal courts does not set clear rules for judges' involvement with advocacy groups. But it warns jurists to steer clear of outside legal activities that would "cast reasonable doubt on the capacity to decide impartially any issue that may come before" them.

Federal law says a judge or justice "shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned."  Several legal experts say Ginsburg's ongoing affiliation with the legal activist group undercuts her appearance of impartiality. Ginsburg declined to comment and has refused to disqualify herself from any proceedings on the basis of her involvement in NOW or any other activist group.

Ginsburg's affiliation with the advocacy group raises issues similar to those prompted by Scalia's appearance last year before a group whose members oppose gay rights at the same time the court was weighing a landmark gay rights case.

Kathy Rodgers, president of the NOW legal defense fund, said Ginsburg's connection with the group should not raise questions about her impartiality as a Supreme Court justice.  "She is always very careful in her remarks," Rodgers said. However, Rodgers admitted that Justice Ginsburg is a welcome member and participant in NOW.  

Not only is Ginsburg a member, but she was a member of the board of the legal defense fund for a brief time in the 1970s, and also served on the group's advisory committee for judicial education. Still, Rodgers claimed there was no "alliance" between Ginsburg and the defense fund.  Rodgers said her group co-sponsored the Ginsburg lecture each year with the Assn. of the Bar of the City of New York.