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U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses during a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2022.

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

SCOTUS adopts new ethics code as public trust plummets

The US Supreme Court on Monday issued a formal code of conduct for its nine justices following allegations of serious ethics violations, mostly concerning Justice Clarence Thomas.

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Why Clarence Thomas has eroded trust in the US Supreme Court
Why Clarence Thomas has eroded trust in the US Supreme Court | GZERO Media

Why Clarence Thomas has eroded trust in the US Supreme Court

Few Supreme Court Justices have tested the Court's ethical limits like Justice Clarence Thomas, says this week's GZERO World guest, Yale Law School legal expert Emily Bazelon. And that's because, for centuries, Justices have been reluctant to test the boundaries of an ethical system that has few limits. "Federal judges and lower courts are subject to ethical codes," Bazelon explains, "but not the Supreme Court justices themselves."

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Who polices the Supreme Court?
E550 cutdown | GZERO Media

Who polices the Supreme Court?

Who watches the watchmen? And who oversees the US Supreme Court? As SCOTUS, the highest court in the US, gears up to issue some blockbuster rulings this summer, ethical concerns swirl around its members, and its public support is at an all-time low.

It’s been one year since SCOTUS struck down Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion after 50 years of precedent. In the months following the decision, the conservative supermajority quickly moved US law away from the political center. Multiple controversies erupted surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas, and public opinion balked at a blanket refusal to address questions about the justices’ ethical standard.

Has the Supreme Court become overly politicized? Can public faith be restored in a deeply partisan America? And what major rulings are still to come this session? Ian Bremmer talks with Yale Law School legal expert, New York Times Magazine columnist and co-host of the Slate’s Political Gabfest podcast, Emily Bazelon.

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Podcast: (Un)packing the Supreme Court with Yale Law's Emily Bazelon

Transcript

Listen: The Supreme Court, one of the three branches of government that makes up this country's democratic system of checks and balances, doesn't have a military. As a result, when its justices make a ruling, they are counting on a strong sense of public trust to ensure their decisions are carried out. Not all countries on this planet can count on that public trust, and with popular support for the Court plummeting to record lows, some experts fear that the United States may soon be unable to as well.

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Preet Bharara on the legal troubles of former President Trump
Preet Bharara on the legal troubles of former President Trump | GZERO World

Preet Bharara on the legal troubles of former President Trump

The rule of law is a cornerstone of democracy. Ensuring that everyone is treated equally in the eyes of the law, including public officials, is a critical component of a healthy, thriving democratic government. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer speaks with former US Attorney for the Southern District of NY and podcast host Preet Bharara to delve into the legal struggles of former President Trump. There is a strong possibility Trump will face a criminal trial as he runs for president in 2024, so the stakes have never been higher.

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The official formal group photograph of the current U.S. Supreme Court.

Fred Schilling/Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States/Handout via Reuters

Senators want ethics rules for SCOTUS

Two US Senators introduced a bill on Wednesday that would require the Supreme Court to introduce its own code of ethics. The bipartisan bill – sponsored by Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats – would not dictate the standards but simply require the court to get on it within a year.

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Parsing Donald Trump's indictment
Parsing Donald Trump's indictment | GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Parsing Donald Trump's indictment

Preet Bharara, former US attorney for the Southern District of New York, stopped by GZERO World to discuss three big legal stories in the news: the charges facing former US President Donald Trump, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's gifts from a billionaire Republican donor, and the recent classified documents leak.

According to Bharara, the charges leveled against the Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, could establish a precedent for justice and the rule of law, with significant consequences for American democracy in the future. Bharara ranked the severity of the three other potential charges that could be brought against former President Trump, with the conduct relating to the January 6th riot "being the most severe."

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David Himbert / Hans Lucas via Reuters Connect

Podcast: Trumped up charges? The law & politics of investigating a president's crimes

Transcript

Listen: Where democracy is built upon the principles of rule of law, legal challenges faced by public officials are a sober matter. On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer sits down with former US Attorney for the Southern District of NY and podcast host, Preet Bharara. Together, they explore the current state of the US legal system, the hurdles for keeping public officials to account, and the potential implications for democracy when a former president is criminally charged by federal courts. Bharara draws from his extensive experience as a prosecutor to offer insightful perspectives on pressing legal concerns, including the role of executive privilege in government accountability. The duo also takes a deep dive into news headlines, addressing the ethical dilemma surrounding Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the ongoing Department of Justice investigation into the Ukraine leak.

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