Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

Justice Thomas ignores law

January 23, 2011 By kirth

Thomas appears to think that the law does not apply to him, for some reason.

The Supreme Court is “the only judicial body in the country that is not governed by a set of judicial ethical rules,” Gillers said.

A spokesman for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which oversees the financial disclosures, could not be reached Friday night to comment on what actions could be taken. In most cases, judges simply amend their forms when an error is discovered.

Who says we don’t have an aristocracy?

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0
0

Filed Under: User Tagged With: clarence-thomas, heritage-foundation, scotus

Comments

  1. marc-davidson says

    January 23, 2011 at 12:08 pm

    considering Common Cause’s complaint to the DOJ about a conflict of interest involving both Scalia and him in the Citizens United decision.

    Since that decision, information has come to light that raises serious questions about the impartiality of Justices Thomas and Scalia in the Citizens United case.  It appears both justices have participated in political strategy sessions, perhaps while the case was pending, with corporate leaders whose political aims were advanced by the decision.

    We’ll see how AG Holder responds in view of the current effort by the Obama WH to make nice with the GOP and big business.

    • farnkoff says

      January 23, 2011 at 3:26 pm

      I’m sure the AG has smaller fish to fry.

  2. johnd says

    January 23, 2011 at 1:08 pm

    Even current Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner had them…

    <

    p>

    … Senate Finance Committee made public concerns about Geithner’s tax obligations, which resulted in his recent payment of $42,702 in additional taxes and interest for tax years 2001 to 2004. In addition, the committee’s report on the matter says that in 2005 Geithner employed a housekeeper for about three and a half months after her ability to work in the U.S. had lapsed.

    …

    Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., described Geithner’s errors as “serious,” but he said they were “honest mistakes” that “do not rise to the level of disqualification.”

    <

    p>I don’t want to list all the people who made “honest mistakes” but when it comes to someone (Stephen Gillers, a professor at NYU School of Law) from the “other side” we get this “unbiased” comment…

    <

    p>

    “It wasn’t a miscalculation; he simply omitted his wife’s source of income for six years, which is a rather dramatic omission,” Gillers said. “It could not have been an oversight.”

    <

    p>I wonder if this Law professor teaches about things like EVIDENCE?

    <

    p>Hmmm… do we treat these tax issues as consistently where people like Geithner and Suzanne Bump are allowed to pay cash for their “honest mistakes” or only when they are in our party?

    • marc-davidson says

      January 23, 2011 at 1:11 pm

      I thought Geithner was one of yours!

    • christopher says

      January 23, 2011 at 2:05 pm

      …people here were upset about tax issues with Obama’s appointments too.  There are honest mistakes all around as long as they get fixed, as I know at least Bump did.  Though I do think that justices more than anyone should be like Ceasar’s wife above reproach.

      • johnd says

        January 23, 2011 at 9:38 pm

        than the Secretary of the Treasury? Really?

        • christopher says

          January 23, 2011 at 11:13 pm

          Quite frankly I don’t even like the idea of his wife working for a place like the Heritage Foundation, reported or not.  A Justice has to be completely neutral in both appearance and fact.  I’m sure Heritage has filed its share of amicus briefs in SCOTUS over the years.

          • peter-porcupine says

            January 24, 2011 at 11:51 pm

            • christopher says

              January 25, 2011 at 7:31 am

              I’m in no way suggesting wives shouldn’t have professional lives and independent careers, just preferably not such that intertwine so closely with their husband’s judicial positions and that engage in a level of politics and ideology that justices themselves should stay away from.  To be clear, I’d make the exact same complaint about husbands of women on the bench in the same situation.

            • stomv says

              January 25, 2011 at 4:25 pm

              I don’t think it’s appropriate to limit the employment of a family member, etc.  Report it, keep an eye on it, transparency, etc.

            • lightiris says

              January 25, 2011 at 4:42 pm

              She’s an adult, and she knows that she js legally required to pay income tax.  Perhaps she shouldn’t let her husband treat her like a zombie-bot and take an active role in the things she is legally responsible for.  

              • peter-porcupine says

                January 25, 2011 at 5:58 pm

                If you’re going to slam people, make sure of your grounds.

    • peter-porcupine says

      January 23, 2011 at 4:02 pm

      Many public officials must report sources of income for themselves and spouses to ETHICS boards.  A legislator must annually report where their income if from, unless it is in a ‘blind trust’ where they have no direct knowledge of where the investment income comes from.

      <

      p>The ranges are pretty laughable – ‘I got between Six Cents and Six Million Dollars from Giganormous Corp. in calendar 2010’ – but the filings are made.  Nothing to do with reporting income for tax purposes.

  3. eaboclipper says

    January 23, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    When John Tierney in effect said that his wife’s business was her business not his, he admitted and his ethics filings bear out, a willingness to not abide by the rules of the House of Representattives regarding disclosure.  Were you upset at his conduct?

    • christopher says

      January 23, 2011 at 6:19 pm

      Next case!

    • kbusch says

      January 23, 2011 at 9:22 pm

      (I can make random political talking points too!)

      • charley-on-the-mta says

        January 24, 2011 at 8:22 am

        The Eabo Talking-Pointinator 3000 strikes again!

        • petr says

          January 25, 2011 at 4:46 pm

          … chugga chugga whiirrrrr  >sputter< rattle cli-cli-cli- >cough<  click…

          <

          p>… kerchunka chunk… >splooosh<

          <

          p>(silence… followed by the sounds of footsteps…)

          <

          p>THWACK

          <

          p>whiiIRrr… click.  

  4. jimc says

    January 24, 2011 at 1:01 pm

    Great points! Everything is equal! A Congressman whose wife has a troubled brother that she helped clandestinely is exactly equivalent to a U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice whose wife is apparently an extremely well-compensated activist advancing conservative causes! I mean, both of those situations could happen to anybody! Let’s forget the whole thing, and move on.

    <

    p>Oh wait — Mrs. Tierney is doing some time. Aw, gosh darn it, Ginny. we better talk to a lawyer. And choose wisely with that one phone call!

    <

    p>

    • mark-bail says

      January 24, 2011 at 5:24 pm

      reach the Supreme Court.

  5. peter-porcupine says

    January 25, 2011 at 11:09 am

    • jimc says

      January 25, 2011 at 11:59 am

      Sam Alito will not, the Post reports.

      • christopher says

        January 25, 2011 at 1:17 pm

        Personally, I think they should all be there.

  6. gmoke says

    January 25, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    The present Supreme Court is corrupt.  Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia have been politically active in ways that I don’t recall ever happening before.  The closest example I can think of is William O Douglas but I don’t recall him going half the distance into politics that Thomas and Scalia have.

    <

    p>Thomas’ leaving off his wife’s income for 13 years in the annual disclosure forms is a clear sign of ethical neglect, at the very least.  His excuse that he didn’t understand the directions doesn’t stand the smell test.  I am glad that some in Common Cause are calling for an investigation and, possibly, impeachment.

    <

    p>Scalia’s refusal to recuse himself from a case in which his hunting companion, VP Biggus Dickus Cheney, had an interest has made me conclude that he is inalterably arrogant and corrupt.  Both he and Thomas need to answer about their relationship to the Koch Bros and their various enterprises.  I suspect that only a DOJ investigation AND actual impeachment will get the full facts out.

    • somervilletom says

      January 26, 2011 at 8:09 am

      On Monday, Justice Scalia attended a partisan gathering organized by the House Tea Party caucus. This flagrant display of political bias ought to disqualify Justice Scalia from serving on the bench.

      • peter-porcupine says

        January 26, 2011 at 12:13 pm

        TEA Party is multi-party.  GOP, disaffected Dems, Libertarians, etc.  So it would not be a PARTISAN event.

        • somervilletom says

          January 26, 2011 at 5:34 pm

          Let me tell you about the special price I can offer you for a lifetime pass to the Cape Cod Tunnel.

Recommended Posts

  • No posts liked yet.

Recent User Posts

Predictions Open Thread

December 22, 2022 By jconway

This is why I love Joe Biden

December 21, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Garlandโ€™s Word

December 19, 2022 By terrymcginty

Some Parting Thoughts

December 19, 2022 By jconway

Beware the latest grift

December 16, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Thank you, Blue Mass Group!

December 15, 2022 By methuenprogressive

Recent Comments

  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftSo where to, then??
  • Christopher on Some Parting ThoughtsI've enjoyed our discussions as well (but we have yet to…
  • Christopher on Beware the latest griftI can't imagine anyone of our ilk not already on Twitter…
  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftI will miss this site. Where are people going? Twitter?…
  • chrismatth on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022I joined BMG late - 13 years ago next month and three da…
  • SomervilleTom on Geopolitics of FusionEVERY un-designed, un-built, and un-tested technology is…
  • Charley on the MTA on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022Thatโ€™s a great idea, and Iโ€™ll be there on Sunday. Itโ€™s a…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

activate_media Activate Media @activate_media ·
57m

9PM ET The Big Picture w/Melvin Syrie, Jr.
5 KKKops who look like us take the life of another Brother
Activate Radio http://activatemedia.org
#boston #cambridge #dorchester #mattapan #roxbury #jp #lowell #worcester #fallriver #springfield #bospoli #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1621685978128588802 Retweet on Twitter 1621685978128588802 Like on Twitter 1621685978128588802 Twitter 1621685978128588802
teambrandy617 Brandy Fluker Oakley @teambrandy617 ·
1h

Stay warm this weekend! The @CityofBoston is activating BCYF facilities as warming centers today and tomorrow. Here are locations near the 12th Suffolk, and you can find a full list of BCYF facilities and hours at http://bit.ly/BCYFWarming #MApoli #Bospoli

Reply on Twitter 1621685089489850369 Retweet on Twitter 1621685089489850369 Like on Twitter 1621685089489850369 Twitter 1621685089489850369
activate_media Activate Media @activate_media ·
1h

TODAY AT 9 PM
Eastcoast Underground โ€“ Dig Deep
ZuZu ยท Cambridge https://buff.ly/3l3nuax
#boston #cambridge #dorchester #mattapan #roxbury #jp #lowell #worcester #fallriver #springfield #bospoli #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1621682959341191169 Retweet on Twitter 1621682959341191169 Like on Twitter 1621682959341191169 Twitter 1621682959341191169
salemsafe SAFE @salemsafe ·
1h

Salem needs affordable housing. Support Immediate Needs Bill #mapoli @MannyCruz_MA @SenJoanLovely @LwvSalem @KimDriscollMA

Kim Driscoll @KimDriscollMA

Increasing housing supply is a top priority. The Healey-Driscoll administration is proud to have filed the Immediate Needs Bill to ensure the core capital programs that support these objectives are sufficiently funded and continue to operate. #mapoli https://www.masslive.com/politics/2023/01/mass-housing-crisis-gov-maura-healey-files-new-executive-order.html

Reply on Twitter 1621682908334534657 Retweet on Twitter 1621682908334534657 Like on Twitter 1621682908334534657 Twitter 1621682908334534657
mainenewshound mainenewshound @mainenewshound ·
2h

๐Ÿ“›๐Ÿ“›๐Ÿ“› MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS BREAKING:
EXPLOSIONS OVER MONTANA
SPY BALLON OVER LATIN AMERICA
REPORTS OF A 3RD CHINESE SPY BALLOON .....ADSB EXTREMELY BUSY
#mepolitics #breaking #breakingnews #mapoli #nhpolitics
WATCH NEWS IN REAL TIME LIVE HERE: https://www.twitch.tv/texasnewsstudiotv

Reply on Twitter 1621677754180665346 Retweet on Twitter 1621677754180665346 1 Like on Twitter 1621677754180665346 3 Twitter 1621677754180665346
daralynheywood DaralynHeywood @daralynheywood ·
2h

Did "W" lose it with another Fed?
Isnt he busy counting stoplight intervals at Nantasket Beach or tittle-tattling on troopers' GPS if they leave their house at 7:03 am ???
Did he "interfere"? Asking for a friend. #mapoli @MSPTroopers @dmb1031 @TheRedWhine

Howie Carr @HowieCarrShow

BREAKING:

New @MassStatePolice scandal?

Word is feds -- Homeland Security -- have served warrants at @MassRMV hdqs in Quincy in probe of commercial drivers' licenses, illegals.

MSP brass angry they didn't get heads up, had verbal confrontation w/feds.

DEVELOPING

#mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1621677733020319745 Retweet on Twitter 1621677733020319745 1 Like on Twitter 1621677733020319745 2 Twitter 1621677733020319745
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2023 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.