101 Advocacy Organizations Call For Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 15, 2022 – Today Alliance for Justice joined 100 other advocacy organizations in calling on the Senate to investigate political manipulation of the Supreme Court, to pass legislation that would establish an ethical code of conduct for the justices, and to continue to prioritize filling the lower federal courts with fair-minded judges. The letter to senators follows months of revelations involving undue political influence on the Court. 

“Efforts to coordinate with and embolden the ultra-conservative, anti-civil and human rights agenda are not only unethical — they are anti-democratic,” the letter states. “Attempts to rig the Court’s decisions, roll back our rights, and harm our communities are unacceptable. The Court’s recent decisions have nakedly enshrined ideology as law, overturning decades of precedent on issues of fundamental rights including voting rights, right to abortion, labor rights, and gun safety.” 

The judicial code of ethics notably only applies to lower court judges, so there is no oversight or accountability for the justices on the Supreme Court. The letter notes that confidence in the Court is at an all-time low and democracy is in peril, which is why Congress must act now to pass judicial ethics legislation. 

The letter was spearheaded by Alliance for Justice, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Women’s Law Center, and People For the American Way.  

Click here to read the letter and see the full list of organizations who signed.