In developing countries and dictatorships it’s not unusual or unexpected for the judicial system to be corrupt and biased. In America, it used to be a source of pride that our judicial system was fair and followed the letter of the law. Apparently, those days are gone and we are seeing the result of biased court decisions in this election cycle with unprecedented corporate donations to Republican candidates.
The Supreme Court’s decision to give personhood to corporations (Citizens’ United v Federal Election Commission) so they can donate unrestricted amounts to politicians outraged just about everyone; except conservatives. One would like to imagine the court reached its decision after hearing the arguments and considering the implications it would have on America, but it doesn’t look like that was the case.
A gathering of conservative corporate leaders, financial experts, and conservative pundits met at an event sponsored by the Koch Brothers to strategize the 2010 elections and beyond. The stated purpose of the event was to eliminate 90% of regulations and preserve prosperity for corporate America.
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There are volumes written on business’s goal of taking control of the government to enrich the wealth of corporations and the oil industry, and the Citizen’s United decision all but handed control to the Koch Brothers and their cohorts.
Two Supreme Court associate justices attended similar meetings put on by the Kochs and it begs the question: Did Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas take direction on how to rule in cases that favor corporate America? Whether or not there was any impropriety, further investigation is necessary to see if the justices are complicit in the Kochs’ plans. In particular, did Clarence Thomas and his wife (Ginni) conspire with the Kochs to proffer rulings for favors? It is a valid question.
Ginni Thomas is the head of a Tea Party group, and an anonymous donor handed over $500,000 to start her PAC. It is now well known that the Koch brothers funded and promoted Tea Party groups, but there is no way of knowing if the Kochs funded Thomas’s Tea Party PAC  because they don’t have to reveal who made the donation, and it may be because of the Citizen’s United ruling.
Supreme Court justices are not supposed to bring personal political beliefs into their decision making process, but Scalia and Thomas attending a strategy session for destroying regulations and promoting corporate interests certainly looks suspicious. Justice Samuel Alito was asked during his confirmation hearings if he would bring his conservative beliefs into the cases he may hear and he said absolutely not. His decisions have leaned favorably toward corporations.
America is in decline because corporate interests take precedent over working people, and it has never been as blatant as in this election cycle. The protection against unfair spending and foreign influence is gone, and it was bought and paid for by conservative corporate interests.
It’s horrendous that corporations buy votes in legislative houses, but it is a travesty when two Supreme Court justices attend Republican Party and corporate leaders’ strategy sessions for the next election cycle.
If there is any justice in America, there will be an investigation into the Koch brothers, their group of industrialist leaders, foreign influence in campaigns, and the Supreme Court justices in their employ.  In particular, Clarence Thomas should be investigated for ethical impropriety concerning his wife and Koch brothers’ Tea Party funding.
Americans deserve truthful answers from Thomas and Scalia regarding their attendance and involvement in planning corporate strategy in this election cycle to assure Americans the Supreme Court is impartial. Unfortunately, conservatives are not inclined to give truthful answers whether they are politicians or Supreme Court Justices.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
