Opinion: Douglas Schoen: Clarence Thomas controversy plunges SCOTUS deeper into party politics
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ failure to disclose his ties to billionaire conservative donor Harlan Crow has further tainted the integrity of the highest court in the land, plunging it deeper into party politics.
Our Founding Fathers intended for the Supreme Court to be insulated from politics, as the job of the judiciary is to impartially interpret the laws written and enforced by partisan elected officials. Yet, the Supreme Court has come to be viewed as a partisan institution, and public trust in the high court is at an all-time-low. A recent Gallup poll found that just 25% of Americans have confidence in the Supreme Court, which marks an 11-point decline in the past year alone.
Regrettably, the Supreme Court’s upcoming decisions this term are almost certain to continue this troubling trend. The high court is set to hear arguments in cases involving the legality of the most commonly-used abortion pill, gerrymandering, and the constitutionality of affirmative action in college admissions.
Just a few years later, Sen. Collins’ words would prove prophetic, when Republicans effectively froze former President Obama’s selection of now-Attorney General Merrick Garland from being confirmed to the high court, hastening enhanced partisanship in the selection process for the country’s most important court.
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