On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, NBC News reported that Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch will recuse himself from an upcoming environmental case, citing the court’s newly established ethics code. This decision was communicated in a letter from Supreme Court Clerk Scott Harris to the attorneys involved in the case.
The letter did not provide specific reasons for Gorsuch’s withdrawal, stating only that it was consistent with the code of conduct. His recusal comes amid calls from liberal advocacy groups and over a dozen members of Congress who have urged him to step aside due to his previous connections with billionaire Philip Anschutz, who has interests in the case at hand.
The case concerns an environmental review process for a railroad project in Utah designed to transport crude oil from the Uinta Basin to existing railroads. Anschutz Exploration Corp. has filed an amicus brief supporting this project, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving Gorsuch.
Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia previously expressed concerns regarding Gorsuch’s ties to Anschutz, noting that the Justice had represented him in the past. Johnson praised Gorsuch’s decision to recuse himself, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public trust in the judiciary.
Despite this positive response, Johnson criticized the current ethics code for lacking an enforcement mechanism, a gap he has sought to address through proposed legislation.
Source: NBC News
