THE SUPREME COURT’S ILLEGITIMACY HURTS ALL AMERICANS
QUICK READ: The Supreme Court’s MAGA supermajority, installed by and beholden to the Federalist Society, demonstrates daily by their behavior and rulings the desperate need for Court reform. Corrupt, right-wing justices, entangled in countless ethics scandals, put corporate interests over the rights of the American people and are destroying our democracy. It is long past time for Congress to restore balance and integrity to the judicial branch.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
Over the last two decades, Federalist Society-imposed Justices, flaunting their ethical and constitutional obligations, have been dismantling the underpinnings of our representative democracy and reversing the civil and social rights gains made since WWII—a slow-motion coup replacing Congress as an unaccountable lawmaking body.
This new term promises more of the same—bringing both increased evidence of corruption and the further likely erosion of our freedoms.
We’ve recently learned this corruption is decades-long and involves not only Thomas and Alito:
Thomas, his wife (highly paid by Leo), and Federalist Society founder Leonard Leo worked with Harlan Crow to reverse election financing restrictions—Thomas didn’t recuse.
Thomas’ lengthy personal relationship with Koch brothers and service as fundraising draw for their political network should have required recusal from hearing their multiple cases
Thomas should recuse from a pending case brought by the Koch network to overturn SCOTUS’ long-standing policy of deferring to agency expertise
Roberts and Alito, who own shares in 19 companies that could receive $30+ billion in tax relief if SCOTUS rules broadly in Moore tax case should recuse
Thomas and Alito should have recused from a consumer protection challenge brought by their benefactors.
Congress must use its constitutional authority to clean up this SCOTUS mess before it’s too late.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Tell your leaders that Congress must use its constitutional authority to rein in the Supreme Court’s MAGA Justices and restore the Court to the role the Founder’s intended by: (1) seriously investigating the Justices’ corruption and the dark money supporting it (with referrals to DOJ if warranted), (2) imposing enforceable ethics requirements and recusal rules, (3) creating term limits for the Justices, and (4) rebalancing SCOTUS by adding 4 Justices. Please co-sponsor these pieces of legislation and push for their passage before it is too late.
*SEN. WYDEN:* Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Tell your leaders that Congress must use its constitutional authority to rein in the Supreme Court’s MAGA Justices and restore the Court to the role the Founder’s intended by: (1) seriously investigating the Justices’ corruption and the dark money supporting it (with referrals to DOJ if warranted), (2) imposing enforceable ethics requirements and recusal rules, (3) creating term limits for the Justices, and (4) rebalancing SCOTUS by adding 4 Justices. Please co-sponsor these pieces of legislation and push for their passage before it is too late.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
The corruption at the Supreme Court must be stopped. I demand that you work with Democrats to depoliticize SCOTUS and restore the American people’s trust in this institution.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Tell your leaders that Congress must use its constitutional authority to rein in the Supreme Court’s MAGA Justices and restore the Court to the role the Founder’s intended by: (1) seriously investigating the Justices’ corruption and the dark money supporting it (with referrals to DOJ if warranted), (2) imposing enforceable ethics requirements and recusal rules, (3) creating term limits for the Justices, and (4) rebalancing SCOTUS by adding 4 Justices. Please co-sponsor these pieces of legislation and push for their passage before it is too late.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The corruption at the Supreme Court must be stopped. I demand that you work with Democrats to depoliticize SCOTUS and restore the American people’s trust in this institution.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Tell your leaders that Congress must use its constitutional authority to rein in the Supreme Court’s MAGA Justices and restore the Court to the role the Founder’s intended by: (1) seriously investigating the Justices’ corruption and the dark money supporting it (with referrals to DOJ if warranted), (2) imposing enforceable ethics requirements and recusal rules, (3) creating term limits for the Justices, and (4) rebalancing SCOTUS by adding 4 Justices. Please co-sponsor these pieces of legislation and push for their passage before it is too late.
Script for Val Hoyle (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Tell your leaders that Congress must use its constitutional authority to rein in the Supreme Court’s MAGA Justices and restore the Court to the role the Founder’s intended by: (1) seriously investigating the Justices’ corruption and the dark money supporting it (with referrals to DOJ if warranted), (2) imposing enforceable ethics requirements and recusal rules, (3) creating term limits for the Justices, and (4) rebalancing SCOTUS by adding 4 Justices. Please co-sponsor these pieces of legislation and push for their passage before it is too late.
Script for Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The corruption at the Supreme Court must be stopped. I demand that you work with Democrats to depoliticize SCOTUS and restore the American people’s trust in this institution.
Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Tell your leaders that Congress must use its constitutional authority to rein in the Supreme Court’s MAGA Justices and restore the Court to the role the Founder’s intended by: (1) seriously investigating the Justices’ corruption and the dark money supporting it (with referrals to DOJ if warranted), (2) imposing enforceable ethics requirements and recusal rules, (3) creating term limits for the Justices, and (4) rebalancing SCOTUS by adding 4 Justices. Please co-sponsor these pieces of legislation and push for their passage before it is too late.
FURTHER READING
To the Supreme Court, the 20th Century Was Wrongly Decided
Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events
Rightwing activist helps fund ‘predatory payday lenders’ in supreme court case
Justices Have Financial Interest In Major Tax Case
Chief justice urged to make Alito and Thomas step aside in megadoner cases
Samuel Alito Is Wrong and Arrogant—and Must Be Reined In
Democrats fight to expand a ‘broken and illegitimate’ supreme court
