The Freedom From Religion Foundation, along with other prominent groups, has taken a firm stance against the recent unethical behavior of Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
FFRF has joined letters calling for a thorough investigation and immediate reform, reinforcing its commitment with other secular allies and as a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to uphold the integrity and impartiality of the U.S. judiciary. The recent revelations of Alito and Thomas’ misconduct have underscored the urgent need for enforceable ethics standards within the Supreme Court. These justices have displayed partisan behavior that undermines public confidence in the judiciary. Alito’s refusal to recuse himself from cases related to the 2020 presidential election and his association with symbols of the anti-democratic “Stop the Steal” movement highlight a disturbing pattern of ethical violations.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of FFRF, emphasized the crucial nature of these issues: “Our highest court must adhere to the highest ethical standards. The repeated unethical behavior of some justices is a stark reminder that robust reforms are needed to preserve the integrity of our judicial system. We cannot afford to let partisanship and bias erode the public’s trust in the Supreme Court.”
FFRF’s advocacy for judicial reform is part of a broader effort to ensure that the judiciary remains an impartial arbiter of justice, free from political influence. The organization has been actively working with members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, such as Reps. Jamie Raskin and Hank Johnson, who have been pivotal in pushing for judicial reforms like the Judiciary Act, which seeks to expand the Supreme Court and serve as a check on a judicial branch that has run amok. These efforts are aimed at establishing a binding Code of Conduct for Supreme Court justices and implementing necessary transparency measures with the Supreme Court Ethics Recusal and Transparency Act.
In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, co-signed by FFRF and other organizations, the coalition has urged the Justice Department to take action based on Raskin’s proposal that was outlined in the New York Times. The proposal calls for Garland to petition the other justices to require recusal from Alito and Thomas due to their evident biases and conflicts of interest on the Jan. 6 cases. This step is seen as crucial to restoring the public’s confidence in the impartiality of the Supreme Court.
As part of its ongoing efforts, FFRF will continue to advocate for reforms that ensure accountability and transparency within the judiciary. The organization calls on all stakeholders, including the Senate Judiciary Committee, to take decisive actions that will reinforce the principles of justice and fairness underpinning the American legal system.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with over 40,000 members across the country. Our purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
