J.A.I.L. News
Journal ______________________________________________________ Los Angeles,
California
December
26, 2004
Waiting For Ethics
Out of Washington
The Washington Post has
done a good research on just one of the many problems within our Federal
Judiciary, to wit, conflicts of interest. However, the Washington Post
is totally a babe in the woods when it comes to a
proposed solution, i.e., seeking a solution from
Washington.
What would happen if you found out that the judge hearing your
case had taken an all-expenses-paid vacation to, say, Amelia Island Plantation
with your adversary? Sadly, as Carol D. Leonnig reports, the answer is nothing
["New Rules for Judges Are Weaker, Critics Say," news story, Dec.
17].
Between 1992 and 1998, over 230 federal judges -- or more than a
quarter of the federal judiciary -- traveled to resorts at the expense of
private interests with a stake in federal litigation. Under the pretext of
"educating" judges about complex legal issues, some of the nation's worst
polluters and their allies wined and dined these judges in such places as the
Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, S.C.; the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort
& Spa in Arizona; and the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Fla. And the public,
including the parties opposing these companies in court, didn't know about
it.
The Judicial Conference has made it clear that judges are
unwilling to police themselves. It is up to Congress to step in and restore some
semblance of responsibility and impartiality among our judiciary.
JAMES C. TURNER
Executive Director
SUZANNE M. MISHKIN
Associate Counsel
HALT -- An Organization
of
Americans for Legal
Reform
Washington
� 2004 The Washington Post Company
The problems in our
Federal Judiciary goes far beyond conflicts of interest. The Federal
Judiciary is up to its neck in corruption. Obviously, only the wealthy
could afford to bus Federal Judges around the world on luxury cruses and
all expense paid vacations. And why would such wealthy people reach deep
into their pockets to finance these vacations for Federal Judges. Ah, yes, they
have litigation cases pending before these judges, and they want favorable
rulings by them.
Naturally, anyone can
understand the beneficial potential of wining and dining these Federal Judges
who are hearing their cases, but the greater question is, why would these
Federal Judges accept such emoluments from litigants who have
cases pending before them? Is it because these Federal Judges are too
stupid to realize the impropriety of such acceptance? I hardly think so. Or is
it that these Federal Judges know that they will not succumb to such
temptations? No, I don't think so, for they clearly know that if they do not
perform on these gifts, these benefits will be shut off. After all, these
companies want something in return, and would not give away their money for
nothing. Actually, merely being alone unilaterally with one of the parties to an
action is unethical, and morally borders on criminal activity.
Don't these Federal
Judges know that if they get caught, it will be lights out for them? No! They
know that no one can, our will, do a thing about it. After all, they are Federal
Judges! They have life-tenure! That it is more likely that Halley's
Comet will return before they will be called by Congress to
answer Impeachment charges. Hence, their impeachment is the furtherest
thing from their minds, and reason tells us that they are 100% safe. Indeed,
in the entire history
of America there have only been three Federal Judges who have actually been
impeached and removed from the bench. Death is more likely their demise.
It was Thomas Jefferson
who said in 1821: "...the Federal Judiciary; an irresponsible body (for
impeachment is scarcely a scare-crow), working like gravity by night and by
day..."
Already Congress is
receiving so many complaints and requests for impeachments of Federal Judges,
their knees are knocking under the table. They are merely hoping that this
entire mess of the Federal Judiciary will not blow up upon them.
Anyway, the Washington
Post thinks the answer is Congress. That is, that Congress is going to have to
step in and create Judicial Accountability of Federal Judges. Yep, they are
waiting for ethics out of Washington. Oh, yes, and perhaps you may have not
heard, farmers have now discovered they can breed a type of pig that flies,
so brace yourself for pig wings to come to your supermarket shelves
soon. I understand that they are much more delicious than
chicken. -Ron Branson
