On June 12, the U.S. Senate chose not to approve a Democrat-sponsored Supreme Court ethics reform bill. The measure, introduced by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), was put forward for unanimous consent but failed to pass.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) opposed passing the proposed Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act (SCERT) without a formal vote. This objection came after Senator Durbin requested unanimous consent from the Senate to pass the bill.
“Let’s be clear This is not about improving the court—this is about undermining the Court,” Graham said on the Senate floor.
Graham called the bill “an unconstitutional overreach” by Democrats aimed at undermining “a Court they don’t like.”
According to Senate rules, the objection of just one senator can block the passage of a measure requested for unanimous consent.
Despite the objection, the legislative measure remains alive and could return to the Senate floor under the normal process.
On June 11, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin expressed doubts about the bill’s chances of passing easily.
“I think I know the outcome, but we’re going to go through the exercise to make sure that both parties are in the record,” he said.
Since 2022, Democrats have been increasing pressure on the Supreme Court following its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, thereby returning abortion regulation to the states.
They have also expressed concern about conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito accepting gifts from Republican donors and not initially disclosing them.
Democratic criticisms of Justice Alito have intensified following recent reports that an American flag was flown upside-down outside his residence and an American Revolution-era “Appeal to Heaven” flag was displayed at his beach house. Justice Alito said his wife flew the flags.
Democrats claim the flags indicate that Justice Alito aligns with former President Donald Trump and cannot be trusted to be impartial in his rulings.
They want the justice recused from two pending Trump-related election subversion cases the justices are currently deliberating.
Republicans in Congress generally defend Justice Alito but some say the flying of the flags was ill-advised.
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