1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am a constituent in Phoenix, and I am writing to ask you to support binding ethics legislation for the Supreme Court — specifically the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. This should not be a partisan ask. Every federal judge in this country is bound by the Code of Conduct for United States Judges. Every one except the nine who matter most. The Supreme Court exempted itself, and the results have been exactly what you would expect. Justice Clarence Thomas accepted over $4 million in undisclosed gifts and travel from a billionaire donor with interests before the Court. Justice Samuel Alito accepted luxury trips from parties who later had cases he ruled on. Neither recused themselves. Neither faced any consequence. When pressed, the Court’s position was essentially that we should take their word for it. That is not how the rule of law works. That is not how any other institution in this country operates. And it is not something that Arizonans across the political spectrum are willing to accept. Public trust in the Supreme Court is at historic lows. The path back begins with the same basic accountability we demand from every other federal judge: disclose your gifts, recuse yourself from conflicts, and answer to an enforceable code of conduct. This is not a radical position. It is the minimum a functioning democracy should expect from its highest court. I am asking you to stand for that principle regardless of which party benefits. I look forward to knowing where you stand.