Hacker News Reader

"gifts to judges from people not involved in cases is not bribery"

Uhhh, yeah that's a big <citation needed> there bud.

If a prominent party member gifts you lavish vacations and you subsequently decide cases along party lines, what else would you call that?

View on HN

Citation needed? Refer to a dictionary ;). I think the big question mark is on "you subsequently decide cases along party lines." Citation needed? This I think is the major stumbling block in the public perception of the court. It's ideological divides aren't always the one's in the vernacular.

I looked at one of the more vehement and thorough articles alleging the thing you are, and it was pretty unconvincing: https://truthout.org/articles/report-harlan-crow-has-a-stake...

The appearance of corruption has always been a valid concern too.

Why is a typical public servant not allowed to accept even a $20 gift to avoid the appearance of impropriety, but the Venerable Judge Thomas can accept... <checks> ...5 MILLION DOLLARS worth of gifts, nearly half of all known gifts to the Supreme Court and many of them undeclared? What in the actual fuck?

Describe this situation to anyone not deep in a political bubble and see what they call it.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com