Vermont Senator Peter Welch is calling for ethics reform at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Welch is calling on justices at the nation’s highest court to adopt and abide by the code of conduct that all other judges in the nation must comply with. The Democrat who sits on the Judiciary Committee held a press conference in Burlington Monday to detail his request.
“There are about 850 judges, federal judges of all kinds, and the Code of Conduct applies to all but nine," Welch said. "And those nine of course are the members of the United States Supreme Court.”
Vermont Supreme Court Retired Associate Justice Marilyn Skoglund said the U.S. Supreme Court not adhering to a code of conduct is incomprehensible, arrogant and undermines public confidence.
“By what logic are nine politically appointed judges claiming to have free reign over their behaviors?" said Skoglund.
Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas has faced recent calls to resign after reports revealed he accepted gifts from a Republican donor over a number of years.
