Another SCOTUS Judge Hit With Ethic Concerns
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has seen her wealth skyrocket since joining the nation's highest court, financial disclosure forms revealed amid new revelations that her staff has prodded public entities into purchasing her books in great numbers.
When President Obama nominated Sotomayor to the Supreme Court in 2009, her portfolio consisted of a checking and savings account totaling between $50,001 and $115,000. But fast-forward to 2021, and records show her investments had climbed to somewhere between $1.5 million and $6.4 million.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Sotomayor's staff often "prodded" public institutions that host the justice to commit to buying her memoir and children's books, and that her publisher - Penguin Random House - often requested attendees purchase books to obtain tickets for her events.
The books have earned Sotomayor at least 3.7 million dollars since joining the Supreme Court, and continued to rake in six-figure royalties annually. While Sotomayor didn't recuse herself from cases before the Supreme Court involving Random House, the high court defended Sotomayor in a lengthy statement Tuesday, insisting there was no requirement for attendees to purchase her books.
The surge in Sotomayor's assets stands in contrast to other members of the judiciary, such as Justice Amy Coney Barrett. President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court recently received a reported $2 million advance for a forthcoming book - a move that's raising red flags for ethics experts who closely follow the court.
Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor and former chief White House ethics lawyer, believes executive branch employees should be prohibited from receiving books royalties related to their official roles. "It's problematic to the core," he said.
Painter argued further that the justices have become "heroes" of their respective political factions, which can create a temptation to stay in the lane of their belief systems. The justices should not be invested in individual stocks, he added, as it presents the potential for a conflict of interest if a case involves the company.
Painter called on both parties to pass legislation imposing the same ethics rules governing the executive branch on the judiciary, and also pressing for the creation of an inspector general for the Supreme Court.
"What is unmistakable is the deafening silence of so many Democrats and others on the left who have constantly attacked conservative Supreme Court justices – and for far less," said Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project.
Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also tweeted out the seeming hypocrisy of much of the media ignoring Sotomayor's book sales while attacking Justices Thomas and Alito. "Once again, there is a different standard for conservatives," he said.
No matter the political leanings of the justices, it's clear substantial financial considerations deeply influence the nation's highest court. Whether it's book deals, investments, or other sources of income, Supreme Court justices have the power to shape national policies - and, as Sotomayor's case shows, increase their personal wealth by doing so.