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Gifts accepted by Supreme Court

Gifts accepted by Supreme Court

Federal judges are free to accept gifts of unlimited value as long as the donor does not have business before them. Five of the Supreme Court justices reported and accepted gifts from 1998 through 2003. Here is the list, as valued by the justices:

Justice Clarence Thomas

Total value of gifts: $42,200

* $19,000 Bible from Republican donor

* $15,000 for a Lincoln bust from the American Enterprise Institute

* $5,000 cash gift from a mobile home enthusiast

* $1,200, tires from a trucking executive

* $1,200, batteries from former law clerks

* $800 jacket from Daytona 500 auto race

**

Sandra Day O'Connor

Total value of gifts: $5,025

* $1,500 for a crystal medallion from Scripps College

* $875 Steuben glass sculpture from the Junior League

* $500 crystal from the National First Ladies Library

* $500 blanket from the American Academy of Achievement

* $500 crystal fountain from the American Bar Assn. Commission on Women in the Profession

* $475 bronze statue from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

* $300 engraved vase from the New Mexico Military Academy

* $200 quilt from the Conference of State Chief Justices and Administrators

* $175, carved limestone from a San Antonio high school

**

William H. Rehnquist

Total value of gifts: $5,000

* $5,000 award from Fordham University

**

Antonin Scalia

Total value of gifts: $1,275

* $300 cowboy boots from the Tarrant County, Texas, Bar Assn.

* $300 silver box from singer Andrea Bocelli (news - web sites)

* $300 for framed portraits from Peter Secchia, Republican donor and former ambassador to Italy

* $250 for two cases of wine from Virginia winery

* $125, one case of wine from same winery

**

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Total value of gifts: $500

* $500 blanket from American Academy of Achievement

**

Others*

Total value of gifts: $0

* Justices David H. Souter, Anthony M. Kennedy, John Paul Stevens and Stephen G. Breyer did not report any gifts accepted.

**

Note: Figures do not include cash awards given to charity. Also not included are club memberships. Prior years are excluded because complete information on justices is only kept on file for six years.

**

Source: Annual disclosure forms of Supreme Court justices

i particularily like the guy who got the $300 cowboy boots..if this was allowed in ireland people would be marching on the streets in protest..it seems quite bizarre imo

Godbless America

Or God bless America.

that works too

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Godbless America

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Or God bless America.

aawww god less america....

good gifts

All of these gifts are riduclous. I'm sure the justices say that they are 'above' influence.

You should check out the 'gifts' cabinet heads get.

They look fine to me. I can't point at any specific gift and identify a conflict of interest with a possible exception of the bible. Wtf kind of bible costs that much anyway?

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Originally posted by occrider They look fine to me. I can't point at any specific gift and identify a conflict of interest with a possible exception of the bible. Wtf kind of bible costs that much anyway?

And the answer is a $19,000 Bible from Republican donor

19,000 inside the bible..holy lamb...

maybe that bible is the original bible??

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Originally posted by x-filer maybe that bible is the original bible??

If such a thing existed, 19,000 would be for the first page... lol

I thought God had the original.

Re: Gifts accepted by Supreme Court

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Originally posted by x-filer Gifts accepted by Supreme Court ...

so?

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Originally posted by occrider They look fine to me. I can't point at any specific gift and identify a conflict of interest with a possible exception of the bible. Wtf kind of bible costs that much anyway?

it might not be a case now, but it might be in the future and it would therefore be very wrong if the judges previously had acepted gifts. I think its very wrong to give gifts to judges that are supposed to be independent.

and apperently the bible was "once owned by the fiery 19th century abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass"

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Originally posted by St_Andrew it might not be a case now, but it might be in the future and it would therefore be very wrong if the judges previously had acepted gifts. I think its very wrong to give gifts to judges that are supposed to be independent. and apperently the bible was "once owned by the fiery 19th century abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass"

Well, as much as I hate some of the conservative justices, these are all distinguished people who have built up substantial reputations that are virtually imeccable. I highly doubt that they can be "bought" for a pair of $300 leather boots or a quilt. As I said, the only thing that can be questionable is a $19,000 bible, but I don't think that their votes can be bought for mere memorabilia. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

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Originally posted by occrider Well, as much as I hate some of the conservative justices, these are all distinguished people who have built up substantial reputations that are virtually imeccable. I highly doubt that they can be "bought" for a pair of $300 leather boots or a quilt. As I said, the only thing that can be questionable is a $19,000 bible, but I don't think that their votes can be bought for mere memorabilia. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

I have to agree, besides if you look at the source of many of the gifts. Bar Associations, you would EXPECT to provide gifts to judges. Especially those on the Supreme Court. Besides guys, if there really was any illegal activity you can be sure they WOULDN'T report it to anyone. Smart people that do illegal things don't get caught.

Still nothing compared to the kind of stuff senators get.

Re: Re: Gifts accepted by Supreme Court

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Originally posted by Yoepus so?

I am just saying while America is becoming poorer and by that i mean trade defiecits and wages dropping the justices and senators shouldnt recieve the stuff they get. Also ud be surprised how easily a politician can be bought.

Re: Re: Re: Gifts accepted by Supreme Court

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Originally posted by x-filer I am just saying while America is becoming poorer and by that i mean trade defiecits and wages dropping the justices and senators shouldnt recieve the stuff they get. Also ud be surprised how easily a politician can be bought.

What a load of crap...

Are Supreme court judges in US political appointees?In my country they are and it just depends on who is in power at the time..they are appointed as another retires..just curious.

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Originally posted by zig Are Supreme court judges in US political appointees?In my country they are and it just depends on who is in power at the time..they are appointed as another retires..just curious.

yes.. when a justice retires or dies, the president nominates a new justice, but the senate has to approve.. they are appointed for life.

quote:

Originally posted by occrider Well, as much as I hate some of the conservative justices, these are all distinguished people who have built up substantial reputations that are virtually imeccable. I highly doubt that they can be "bought" for a pair of $300 leather boots or a quilt. As I said, the only thing that can be questionable is a $19,000 bible, but I don't think that their votes can be bought for mere memorabilia. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

thats probably true, but i think its the principle thats wrong, that they are allowed to accept gifts like that. cause they can potentially be bought.

Re: Re: Re: Gifts accepted by Supreme Court

quote:

Originally posted by x-filer I am just saying while America is becoming poorer and by that i mean trade defiecits and wages dropping the justices and senators shouldnt recieve the stuff they get. Also ud be surprised how easily a politician can be bought.

Look if you restrict the freedoms of any public servant you'll have two really nice outcomes on your hands:

a) A violation of the constitution.
b) Less civil servants.

Gifts according to the very Supreme Court that receives them are considered part of your Free Speech. Free speech, being of course, an unalienable right to all mankind, and preserved for US citizens specifically incase their government woudl want to restrict it in the constitution.

You can't have it that you refuse politicans/judges to recieve gifts. Afterall why not refuse politicans and judges from giving gifts too while your at it?! Its as equal an argument.

If you refuse a public offical from receiving a gift (unless there is a clear conflict of interest) than you would have to refuse a public offiacl from receinvg a gift from anybody. That would mean that $25 rebate the Judges got from their purchase of a 50 pak CD-RWs should be illegal. That 10% off coupon they were giving to everybody who attended that Bar convention to attend a fancy restaurant - illegal.

The next step of course would have to bar the politican/judge from giving gifts to the 'private' sector as not to induly prejudce one private business/person against another. If the judge gives a gift to Charity A instead of Chairty B, that gives Charity A an unfair competitve advantage over Chairty B. Where does it end? The Judge can't give his good friend, or his own grandchildren a birthday gift?

Afterall, while were at it, we should ban all civil servants from having 'friends' or 'family' at all, because they will just influence them and give them gifts over time. And we can't have that. We must make robotmen! Robotmen will save us all!

This is just simply ludicrous, thats all.

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