Officers of the court are held to a higher standard than most people. They must swear an oath to protect the Constitution, uphold the laws, and stand above others in society.
When these pledges are broken the court system is tainted. Unfortunately, there are those at even the highest level of the judicial system who are susceptible to skirting the law for their own benefit.
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is held to strict standards and commands a higher level of respect. But what happens if one of its own is tainted by a scandal? The newest justice on the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson, is facing a scandal that has D.C. buzzing.
From Fox News:
The Center for Renewing America, a think tank led by former senior Trump White House official Russ Vought, sent a letter to the Judicial Conference with allegations that Jackson “willfully failed to disclose” required information about her husband’s malpractice consulting income for more than a decade.
The think tank suggested that Attorney General Merrick Garland investigate for possible civil enforcement. The omissions in question allegedly occurred while Jackson served on the federal bench.
Federal judges are required by law to disclose income for a spouse from anyone when the amount exceeds $1,000, with some exceptions. The news outlet reported that Jackson disclosed such income for her husband, Dr. Patrick Jackson, in 2011 as part of her nomination to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
That is a key point in this complaint because, as the letter states, Justice Jackson “repeatedly failed to disclose that her husband received income from medical malpractice consulting fees” in subsequent filings.
“We know this by Justice Jackson’s own admission in her amended disclosure form for 2020, filed when she was nominated to the Supreme Court, that ‘some of my previously filed reports inadvertently omitted’ her husband’s income from ‘consulting on medical malpractice cases,’” the letter states.
Vought argued that her husband’s income does not fall under an exception and that her actions violate the law. He also pointed out that after Justice Jackson was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2022 the Library of Congress hosted a large event in her honor.
The gala featured musicians and other performers and it is unclear who paid for the event. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (EIGA) requires that any gift – which can basically be anything – “received over $415” be disclosed.
The Center for Renewing America noted that Jackson’s disclosure for that year included $1,200 flowers from Oprah Winfrey and a $6,500 designer jacket from her Vogue photo shoot.
“Justice Jackson thus cannot claim ignorance of EIGA’s gift disclosure requirements, and there is no serious argument that this ‘massive event featuring performances by several musicians and groups’ celebrating her investiture is not a ‘thing of value,’” Vought said.
Vought also argued that Jackson’s “disturbing trend of not reporting material sources of income and gifts” shielded her from potential conflicts of interest and public scrutiny showing potential need for recusal from court decisions.
Key Takeaways:
- A think tank claimed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson “repeatedly” violated federal law.
- The group argued that her husband’s income wasn’t properly reported for years.
- The Center for Renewing America wants the U.S. attorney general to investigate.
Source: Fox News
