83 COMPLAINTS AGAINST KAVANAUGH TOSSED OUT
December 19, 2018
WHEN YOU'RE A JUSTICE
|A panel of eight federal judges just threw out all 83 ethics complaints brought against JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH regarding his conduct at his Supreme Court confirmation hearings.The judges concluded that while the complaints “are serious,” there is no existing authority that allows lower court judges to investigate or discipline Supreme Court justices.
SERIOUS INDEED
|The complaints against KAVANAUGH included allegations that he misled the Senate with untruthful testimony and that his criticism of Democrats and accusers showed a political bias and lack of judicial temperament. The complainants can appeal the decision, however it is unlikely an appeal would go anywhere.
"CODE" OF CONDUCT
|The panel of judges who dismissed the Kavanaugh complaints pointed to the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act in their conclusion because justices are not bound by the federal judiciary’s code of conduct, and the high court does not have its own formal internal disciplinary system. Executive Director of Fix the Court, GABE ROTH, said in a statement, “Today’s decision underscores the need for the Supreme Court to adopt its own code of conduct or for Congress to write one if the justices cannot be bothered, and it demonstrates that the judicial misconduct rubric passed four decades ago — which fails to mention sexual misconduct, has no automatic change of circuit for complaints and forgives justices’ bad behavior in every instance — needs a serious rewrite.”