Concern was raised by progressive activists after it emerged Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh attended a Christmas party along with a number of prominent right-wingers, such as House Representative Matt Gaetz and Stephen Miller, formerly a senior adviser to Donald Trump.
According to Politico, the party was hosted by Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, along with his wife, Mercedes, on Friday at their home in Alexandria, Virginia.
Other guests included Sean Spicer and Sebastian Gorka, who served the Trump administration as press secretary and deputy assistant to the president respectively.
Kavanaugh has served on the Supreme Court since October 6, 2018, having been appointed by President Trump.
While Supreme Court Justices aren't bound by the same rules as federal judges, they are expected to maintain high ethical standards.
Speaking to Bloomberg Law, Professor Tonja Jacobi, from the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, said: "Supreme Court justices should be extraordinarily careful in not only having no actual ethical difficulties but having no appearance of an ethical conundrum as well."
Miller is president of the America First Legal Foundation (AFLF), which he said will "protect America first, last and always" using "relentless litigation and oversight."
Bloomberg Law reports the AFLF has an interest in cases that are due to appear before the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the news, legal campaign group Citizens for Ethics tweeted: "Brett Kavanaugh attended a private holiday party on Friday night at the home of CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp, and that attendees included Stephen Miller, whose group America First Legal Foundation has interests in cases now pending before the Supreme Court."
Brett Kavanaugh attended a private holiday party on Friday night at the home of CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp, and that attendees included Stephen Miller, whose group America First Legal Foundation has interests in cases now pending before the Supreme Court https://t.co/2Nw29CoMFO — Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) December 12, 2022
Victor Shi, the youngest elected delegate for Joe Biden in 2020, responded by questioning the impartiality of conservative justices.
He tweeted: "Not kidding here: Brett Kavanaugh, a sitting Supreme Court Justice, was partying with Matt Gaetz, Stephen Miller, Sebastian Gorka, Erik Prince, & more right-wing extremists the other day. How can anyone look at these Republican Supreme Court justices & take them seriously anymore?
Not kidding here: Brett Kavanaugh, a sitting Supreme Court Justice, was partying with Matt Gaetz, Stephen Miller, Sebastian Gorka Erik Prince, & more right-wing extremists the other day. How can anyone look at these Republican Supreme Court justices & take them seriously anymore? — Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) December 12, 2022
"Hard to take Supreme Court justices seriously when they are around people who literally want to destroy democracy."
Concern was also raised by Tristan Snell, a lawyer who was involved in legal action against Trump University.
He tweeted: "Brett Kavanaugh was just at a holiday party with Matt Gaetz, Stephen Miller, and Erik Prince, all of whom may soon be implicated in various federal crimes. Remember this one for later."
In June, the Supreme Court released a ruling by five votes to four that overturned Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that put forward there is a constitutional right to have an abortion. Kavanaugh was one of the justices who supported the decision.
That same month, Nicholas Roske was arrested outside Kavanaugh's home in Maryland, armed with a knife and gun, allegedly telling police he planned to kill the Justice, in part because of his position on abortion.
Newsweek has contacted Justice Brett Kavanaugh for comment.
notcaffeinefree on December 13rd, 2022 at 18:23 UTC »
This headline really buries the lede:
He's partying with far-right people who have active cases in the Court.
TintedApostle on December 13rd, 2022 at 18:10 UTC »
The whole problem is staring you in the face. They don't care that you know. They have a goal and they aren't being challenged nor do they face any repercussions.
You just have to absorb the fact that everything they are doing is expecting you to just appeal to the authority of their position regardless of the abuse of the office.
NewMidwest on December 13rd, 2022 at 18:05 UTC »
Republicans are corrupt and they don't care if Americans know it.