Op-Comic: SCOTUS' demolition

(Clockwise from top)
Gift vacations tanked ethical norms. Martha-Ann Alito, the justice's wife, flew the Stars and Stripes upside down (an insurrectionist symbol) on their flagpole.
Treated 'just friends' Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, Virginia 'Ginni' Thomas, to posh vacations, a $19,000 Bible, property deals and more.
Accepted millions in gifts and hospitality from partisans. She texted support for overturning 2020's free and fair election; he refused to recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases.
Befriended Justice Clarence Thomas once he joined the court in 1991; added to Thomas' millions in initially undisclosed travel. His industries were affected by court decisions.
Treated Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. to a private-jet flight for a fishing trip to Alaska (estimated value one way: $100,000). Alito disclosed it when forced; he did not recuse himself when Singer had business before the court.
Steered dollars, networking and the long game to stack the Supreme Court with conservatives and turn it to the right on voting rights, affirmative action, abortion and more.
With brother David (1940-2019), invested oil-business billions to sway law and U.S. policy. Big court win: overturning the 'Chevron deference standard,' opening the door to the deregulation of everything.
Another generous friend of Justice Clarence Thomas' whose largesse initially went largely undisclosed and whose business interests were, according to Pro Publica, 'significantly impacted' by court decisions.
Got the justices to sign a SCOTUS code of conduct. Too bad it has no enforcement mechanism.
And yet another munificent friend of Justice Clarence Thomas' whose gifts were initially largely undisclosed.
(In the center)
If he calls it 'my court,' is it still a co-equal branch of government?
Steve Brodner is a contributing artist to Opinion. He blogs daily at https://stevebrodner.substack.com.

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