Yeomans: Time for a Supreme Court Code of Conduct

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 7, 2019 – In the latest edition of Yeomans Work, AFJ Senior Justice Fellow Bill Yeomans writes that it’s past time for Congress to establish a code of conduct for the Supreme Court. Fortunately, he writes, the House is beginning the new Congress with H.R. 1, a wide-ranging reform bill calls for such a code. “That provision provides the occasion for a crucial examination of the health of the Supreme Court, including the challenges raised by its newest member,” Yeomans says.

Writes Yeomans: “Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by a Senate in which partisan fealty and a commitment to radically conservative ideology steamrolled concern about the integrity of the Court. The severely truncated process installed a nominee who was credibly accused of sexual assault. He lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee about a range of other matters, from his denial that he knowingly received memos stolen from Democratic Judiciary Committee staffers to the meaning of entries in his high school yearbook. His hearing proceeded without production of 90% of his official paper trail and the FBI was not permitted to conduct a full probe of the sexual assault allegations against him. His second appearance before the committee featured angry, partisan, injudicious attacks – by the nominee. The process left a bitter aftertaste for anyone concerned about the future of the Court.”

Yeomans Work focuses on the challenges to the justice system in the era of Trump. Bill Yeomans is available for media interviews. Contact Laurie Kinney, Communications Director, at laurie@afj.org or 202-464-7367.