After the Supreme Court announced it was implementing a code of ethics this week, Chuck Schumer noted that it was “an important first step” but didn’t go far enough.
There will, of course, never be enough steps, because the entire ginned-up controversy over ethics is a cynical ploy to destroy the legitimacy of the court. And everyone, other than perhaps the most gullible partisan sap, understands what’s happening.
In a statement, the Supreme Court explains that the new code, which merely codifies existing behavior, was needed to correct the public’s “misunderstanding” regarding the justices’ ethical obligations. It won’t. Because there is no “misunderstanding.” The effort to destroy the Supreme Court’s legitimacy is a highly coordinated partisan scheme.
It begins with wealthy anti-court oppo groups conjuring some rickety accusation that can’t withstand even the slightest inquiry. That oppo is shopped to accommodating partisan outlets — some, like ProPublica, are already on the payroll — to create the appearance of widespread, organic reporting. The tinny accusations are then laundered by the media, which prop up the claims with thousands of words of pseudojournalistic verbiage and sleek production.
Beneath the patina of professionalism, each new story is dumber than the last. Clarence Thomas vacations with rich friends. Clarence Thomas shares meals with former clerks. Clarence Thomas has a wife with her own opinions. Clarence Thomas belongs to an organization of wealthy families that gives college scholarships to thousands of poor kids. All originalist justices have been targeted, but there is a special disdain
