SCOTUS Thread (News and Discussion) III: Abandoning 90 Years of Precedent

[Spicyryan]

This should be a huge deal, especially when coupled with his previous statements about making life miserable for Democrats and his wife's J6 involvement.

It won't be of course, but it should.

You can only be so upset at the same genre of shit over and over before you admit it is working as intended. The average person is fatigued by how regular it is. Drowning in force-fed pessimism and apathy.

[Byrthnoth]

Heyheyhey, maybe they are just really good childhood friends who... (checks article) ... met shortly after Clarence joined the supreme court and immediately started giving suspiciously generous gifts in only one direction.

[Zealot]

The distinction is important in this case because the DOJ would potentially get involved if there were illegal activity. If it was merely breathtakingly unethical, that leaves it in the hands of Congress and nothing will happen.

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[Sirious]

I think we all understand that as long as no one said the word bribe, then nothing happened. Let's not even bother, nothing will happen.

[Tyche]

I'm legitimately shocked that Roberts isn't more vocal against this type of behavior. He may not be at Roger Taney's level of tarnished legacy, but he's flying close to the sun. Within 2 years of liberals eventually taking the court, be it in 5, 10, or 30 years, I suspect many of his landmark decisions are going to be gutted and he'll go down as being completely ineffective at controlling his court. History will not be kind to him. He seems to understand that and somewhat care about it, but he's spineless to actually put any pressure on the other justices.

[Yabby]

Can he really do anything about it? I know the way it works at the courts i'm at, the chief Judge sets the tone for the other judges, but he doesn't get to control them by any means. If Thom has been doing this for this long, i doubt he gives a fuck how bad this looks for him. He will keep accepting gifts all day long and tell Roberts to suck a dick.

[Tyche]

It's more about putting pressure on them and being vocal about the list of ethical issues that other justices, especially Thomas, presents. Can Thomas sit back and tell him to fuck off? Absolutely. But Roberts could make things incredibly difficult and embarassing for Thomas in public and private when choosing cases, who writes opinions, etc. While the teeth may not be very sharp, chief justice isn't completely toothless.

Ultimately though, the shit that's going to bury Roberts' legacy isn't this. It's the egregious opinions his court has written. Ending Roe and allowing unchecked money into politics is what has enabled the behavior of Thomas. Thomas knows he's a peice of shit and doesn't care. He will take the bag with 0 fucks given because the worst thing that can happen is losing allies on the court and some public embarrassment...and that ship sailed long ago.

[Zealot]

The only shot liberals have at retaking the Court is if Democrats win the Presidency in 2024 and maybe 2028 as well. Alito and Thomas are unlikely to need replacing any time soon. If Trump wins again though, they'll both retire and be replaced by 50-year-olds.

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[Byrthnoth]

Part of the modern conservative identity is shamelessness and open corruption, so I don't think it will be possible to embarrass him.

[kuronosan]

I would say that it's more that they don't see it as anything but "necessary corruption", like most fascist frames of thought.

Like that PETA lady who rationalizes using animal-derived insulin but saying it allows her to do her work thus is okay.

[Spicyryan]

The only shot liberals have at retaking the Court is if Democrats win the Presidency in 2024 and maybe 2028 as well. Alito and Thomas are unlikely to need replacing any time soon. If Trump wins again though, they'll both retire and be replaced by 50-year-olds.

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Whelp, time for Hillary to run and save you all.

[Milkster]

I'm legitimately shocked that Roberts isn't more vocal against this type of behavior. He may not be at Roger Taney's level of tarnished legacy, but he's flying close to the sun. Within 2 years of liberals eventually taking the court, be it in 5, 10, or 30 years, I suspect many of his landmark decisions are going to be gutted and he'll go down as being completely ineffective at controlling his court. History will not be kind to him. He seems to understand that and somewhat care about it, but he's spineless to actually put any pressure on the other justices.

History will tsk tsk at him while people living under their rulings and laws are having their lives ruined.

[Outlaw]

A good example of how Senators and Judges don't really control this country.. the rich and powerful do.

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[Andalusian girls]

Can he really do anything about it? I know the way it works at the courts i'm at, the chief Judge sets the tone for the other judges, but he doesn't get to control them by any means. If Thom has been doing this for this long, i doubt he gives a fuck how bad this looks for him. He will keep accepting gifts all day long and tell Roberts to suck a dick.

he can do next to nothing. Roberts' efforts to create a less partisan court based around unanimity and above-the-fray institutionalist decorum have been totally gutted by political movements outside his control. speaks to how structurally ineffectual the position is, and how marginalized he himself has become in a radically conservative SCOTUS.

probably nothing better encapsulates the failure of his labor to find a third way than Dobbs vs Jackson wherein well-established precedent on a fiercely socially divisive issue was stricken on vulgar partisan lines, and he found himself declining to join either the majority opinion or dissenting opinion.

[Spicyryan]

A good example of how Senators and Judges don't really control this country.. the rich and powerful do.

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Well, they work through them. They still arguably do, but yes not really. It's why our democratic process is laughable. It is in line with the American Dream sort of idealism. It's part of the state's cult of personality. Which is not just something that applies to a funny fat guy with a haircut and his own water park, but to western countries too, especially America.

[Mrbeansman]

Well, they work through them. They still arguably do, but yes not really. It's why our democratic process is laughable. It is in line with the American Dream sort of idealism. It's part of the state's cult of personality. Which is not just something that applies to a funny fat guy with a haircut and his own water park, but to western countries too, especially America.

Yeah and the only way to do anything about it is to mount an armed revolution or work within the system and the formor is insanely laughable.

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[Roranora]

listen just give me an idyllic cottage in comfortable climes and stable control; the fray is beneath me

[Byrthnoth]

Your idyllic cottage has AC, right? If I was willing to abandon AC, I feel I could go full Luddite hermit, but it's so good.

[Outlaw]

Around 100 in the Summer with high humidity.. Just give me sweet death.

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[Emphasis]

https://www.businessinsider.com/sine...ublican-2023-4

GOP billionaire who funded Clarence Thomas's vacations has also given thousands of dollars to Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin


Texas billionaire Harlan Crow's largesse goes far beyond yacht trips and resort stays with the top conservative jurist. It also includes thousands of dollars in contributions to congressional Democrats known for bucking their party.

According to an Insider review of federal campaign finance data, Crow has given a total $5,800 to Democratic-turned-Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's campaign account and $5,000 in May 2022 to Getting Stuff Done PAC, a leadership PAC tied to the Arizona senator.

Crow first contributed $2,900 to Sinema's campaign in June 2021 before giving another $5,800 in November 2021 — prompting the campaign to refund half of it after Crow apparently exceeded federal contribution limits.

Crow contributed $2,800 in March 2021 to Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia moderate who's opposed several of President Joe Biden's nominees and has left the door open to running against Biden for president in 2024.

Crow has also made significant contributions to moderate-to-conservative House Democrats.

According to federal campaign finance data, the Texas billionaire has given $16,800 to Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey since 2018, contributing thousands as recently as October 2022.

Gottheimer, a member of the so-called "Unbreakable Nine" of moderate Democrats who insisted on de-linking Build Back Better from the infrastructure bill, has at times been a thorn in the side of his party as well.

And Crow has contributed $12,500 to Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas since 2006. Cuellar, a conservative opponent of abortion rights, faced a strong primary challenge from progressive activist Jessica Cisneros in 2022.