WASHINGTON − Aides to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor pressed colleges and a library to order copies of books she had written in connection with public speaking events, according to an Associated Press report on Tuesday, the latest revelation that may add pressure on the high court to adopt tougher ethical standards.
Documents obtained by the AP show Sotomayor’s taxpayer funded staff suggesting a library in Portland did not order enough copies of her children’s book in 2019 for attendees at an event that would feature the justice. At Clemson University in South Carolina, school officials offered to buy 60 signed copies before a 2017 appearance, but Sotomayor’s staff noted that most schools order around 400, according to the report.
The report comes as the Supreme Court has been put on defense over a series of questionable ethics decisions. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee announced they intend to advance legislation later this month that would require the high court to adopt a code of ethics. The reports of questionable ethics decisions so far have involved the court’s conservatives − in particular Justice Clarence Thomas.
Sotomayor is the court’s most senior liberal.
In a statement to the Associated Press, the Supreme Court said it works with the justices and their staff to ensure they are “complying with judicial ethics guidance for such visits.”
“When (Sotomayor) is invited to participate in a book program, chambers staff recommends the number of books (for an organization to order) based on the size of the audience so as not to disappoint attendees who may anticipate books being available at an event,” the court said.
The court did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.
