The Supreme Court justice used wealthy connections through the Horatio Alger Association, a scholarship organization, to benefit himself and his wife.

    • SpezCanLigmaBalls@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I know right. It’s like the meme of “nothing ever happens” but for real. People get fired for having weed in their piss and this dude is manipulating a whole country based on who gives him the most money

    • afraid_of_zombies2@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Meanwhile at work I can’t take a gift over five dollars and if I get like a box of chocolate I leave it in the break room.

      Amazing how much integrity you must show is inverse to the amount of damages not showing it will cause.

      • henfredemars@infosec.pub
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        1 year ago

        The greatest harm isn’t even in the actions of the court itself, but it is in the undermining of institutions and confidence in a just system even further.

        • afraid_of_zombies2@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I got a bogus moving violation ticket in a ghetto. Decided to fight it. Watched as minority after minority got their ass handed to them in traffic court. Cops are super rude about everything. Few months later I get jury duty. Hispanic man accused of a violent crime…ok yeah. I have already seen how the sausage is made.

          Now I didn’t get picked they had enough before they even got to me but I admit I would be very disinclined to take the justice systems word. Maybe that is the wrong attitude to have. Just because the justice system is very very imperfect doesn’t mean that there is no crime.

          Everytime the justice system does something like this. Mistreats minorities or the poor, refuses to go after the powerful it weakens it’s authority. And we are all worse off.

          • TechnoBabble@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I agree, never trust the justice system to get things right. But also, don’t let the poor reputation of the justice system get in the way of protecting victims of crime in cases involving minorities.

            Minorities are much less likely to get the attention they need from investigators when they’re the victim of a crime. And like everyone, they’re often victimized by someone from their own community.

            It’s an incredibly nuanced problem that isn’t easy to sum up in an easily digestible comment.

  • Moyer1666@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I mean I assumed what we found out wasn’t the end of his corruption and I assume this isn’t either. I don’t trust him so I’ll never know. He needs to be impeached.

    • leo6@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      They can’t even spell shame. As soon as they get to S-H- they go I-T-Y-E-A-H-I-L-L-T-A-K-E-T-H-E-M-O-N-E-Y-F-U-C-K-E-M!!!

  • EfficaciousSkink@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    These “justices” are a national disgrace and make a mockery of our justice system. They must be impeached and removed and ethics and honor restored. (This requires a 2/3 vote in the Senate which is unlikely to happen since many senators are equally corrupt and need to be removed as well.)

  • Ducks@ducks.dev
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    1 year ago

    I remember learning in high school about the corruption under Herbert Hoover’s administration and the entire federal government at the time. They made it out to seem like those days are behind us. The curriculum needs updating because those days never ended.

  • AlaskaMan@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    At this point just investigate the entire SCOTUS and let the cards fall where they may. If all need removed when the dust settles, so be it.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    And here I thought he slept in his camper in Walmart parking lots like he told us. Could it be that a Supreme Court justice actually lives a life of luxury?!

  • astral_avocado@lemmynsfw.com
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    1 year ago

    Is there a legislative mechanism or body that has the power to investigate the SCOTUS? Or are they beyond punitive measures? Honestly asking for an experts opinion here

    • merc@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Since the Supreme Court is at the top of their branch of the government, it would have to be another branch, either legislative or executive.

      The US congress has the power to impeach (i.e. charge with a crime / misdemeanor / transgression) a justice, and send that case to the senate for a trial.

      Unfortunately, the US congress is Republican-controlled, so you’d have to convince a very significant fraction of the Republicans to vote to investigate and charge the guy whose corruption is leading to so many wins for their side.

      The other option is a criminal investigation by the FBI, which is part of the executive branch. But, that would require that what Thomas did violated federal laws. I doubt he actually broke bribery laws, or would be stupid enough to break them while he suspected he might be under a federal investigation.

      If only the founding fathers had any background in game theory. This system of “checks and balances” only works when the majority of the people involved have noble, self-sacrificing ideals.

    • Necromnomicon@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I honestly don’t know, but if there was, it would require the people who wanted them in the position in the first place to agree to implement it. I don’t see that happening.

  • SrElsewhere@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    An oft-repeated admonition in legal circles is that lawyers should avoid even so much as the appearance of impropriety. And that’s before taking the bench. Any suggestion that any of this was done unknowingly is preposterous.