Mazie Hirono: “I rise today because I, like the majority of Americans, am increasingly concerned about the legitimacy crisis at the…”

“I rise today because I, like the majority of Americans, am increasingly concerned about the legitimacy crisis at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court consists of nine members who have lifetime appointments and can make decisions regarding the quality of the air we breathe; the exercise of free speech on the internet; the autonomy and control of our bodies; protection of our homes, cars, and cell phones from government intrusion. These are just a few ways the Supreme Court's decisions impact the lives of every single American every single day. These individuals with immense power, shouldn't they be held to the highest level of ethical accountability--not because we disagree with some of the Court's decisions but because its legitimacy depends on Americans having faith that those decisions are arrived at fairly and objectively, not influenced by money or special interests. Yet, instead of having the strongest ethical rules--or any binding ethical rules, for that matter--the Supreme Court purports to follow a ``collection of principles'' that are both nonbinding and weaker than the rules for government workers, for Members of Congress, and for many private sector employees. As we have seen, the Supreme Court's honor system for financial disclosures and recusals is woefully inadequate. This is not a partisan issue. Justices appointed by both Democrat and Republican Presidents have had ethical lapses.…”