Too bad Congress has no power to impose ethics rules on the justices of the Supreme Court.
The only powers the Congress, or the President, have over the Supreme Court are:
The President nominates replacement justices,
The Senate confirms, or rejects, the President’s nominees,
The Congress determines the salary for SCOTUS justices (and can’t reduce it during their term),
The Congress can restrict the appellate jurisdiction of SCOTUS,
The Congress determines the amount of the appropriations to operate SCOTUS,
The Congress determines how many justices sit on the High Court,
And, the House can impeach a justice, then the Senate can remove the impeached justice.
That’s it. The Congress and President have no other power to regulate SCOTUS. They cannot impose on SCOTUS rules of ethics. SCOTUS, on their own authority, agreed to their own ethical guidelines. The law passed by Congress in 1989 (Ethics Reform Act) requiring SCOTUS justices to report gifts over $415 is unconstitutional and unenforceable.
The Supreme Court is a separate, equal branch of the Federal Government. Each justice serves “on good behavior.” The only rememdy to stop a justice is to impeach and remove him from office for “Treason, Bribery, and other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
Too bad Congress has no power to impose ethics rules on the justices of the Supreme Court.
The only powers the Congress, or the President, have over the Supreme Court are:
The President nominates replacement justices,
The Senate confirms, or rejects, the President’s nominees,
The Congress determines the salary for SCOTUS justices (and can’t reduce it during their term),
The Congress can restrict the appellate jurisdiction of SCOTUS,
The Congress determines the amount of the appropriations to operate SCOTUS,
The Congress determines how many justices sit on the High Court,
And, the House can impeach a justice, then the Senate can remove the impeached justice.
That’s it. The Congress and President have no other power to regulate SCOTUS. They cannot impose on SCOTUS rules of ethics. SCOTUS, on their own authority, agreed to their own ethical guidelines. The law passed by Congress in 1989 (Ethics Reform Act) requiring SCOTUS justices to report gifts over $415 is unconstitutional and unenforceable.
The Supreme Court is a separate, equal branch of the Federal Government. Each justice serves “on good behavior.” The only rememdy to stop a justice is to impeach and remove him from office for “Treason, Bribery, and other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”