The Supreme Court's Chief Justice Roberts and lead Conservative Justice Scalia don't like the "Honest Services" law that helped convict Jeff Skilling of ENRON. Roberts & Scalia have hinted that they are amenable to Jeff Skilling's argument that the law is not clear.
Here's the transcript from yesterday's Supreme Court Oral Argument.
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/...
I haven't the time, inclination, or skill, to engage in a long polemic railing against Skilling's appeal to the Supreme Court. There are many Kosmopolitans who are better equipped for this kind of engagement.
I think both Roberts & Scalia want this law changed because they fear that one day they, Roberts & Scalia, may find themselves targets of a Prosecutor who will use the law against them. So change a law, pre-emptively, before it's used against you!
I would not blame the Supreme Court Justices for getting their hands into the cookie-jar by accepting money/gifts/favors. They do alot of hard work for very little money. I know, you say they get paid alot more than you earn. However, the kind of work Supreme Court Justices do is more like the work that superstars like Mike Jordan, Tiger Woods, Bill Gates, and Johnny Depp do, than the work that you and I do.
The Supreme Court Justices do unique work that literally only a handful of people on earth can do. They keep us free by keeping our Constitutional rights. And for this, for this Herculean effort they get paid ... a pittance.
It would not surprise me if they got tired of doing the Mother Theresa/altruistic work required of a Supreme Court Justice and decided to help themselves, their family, their friends, and their dalliances out with favors and extra-funds.
So it's better that the Justices strike down this "fair services" statute now, before it's the Justices turn to be accused of ... being a Supreme Court Justice for PERSONAL GAIN.
Our society has radically changed. It's really all about ME all the time. It's silly to think that the brightest and the best of the legal profession, who maintain the delicate balance between the sword & shield of the law, haven't got some selfishness and greed within them. The quaint notion of altruism has no place in such a wealthy society. It's everyone for themselves. Get away with as much as you can get away with. Better to be a lion than a lamb. We have no common goal and we have no agreement on what 'honest' means.
The Supreme Court Justices are not lambs to be led to the slaughter. Change the 'honest services' law now, before one of the Justices gets slapped with the honest services statute. If you don't like a law, change it. Guardians of our freedoms? I think not. Guardians of their own freedom. Ours are trivial concerns, like jobs, healthcare, safe communities, education. The Supremes have high-class interests at heart. Is it lobster bisque or vichyssois for lunch? Trifle with fresh cream and berries or Paree-Brest (wheel-shaped pastry with hazelnut brittle whipped cream)pastry.
Again, here's the transcript of yesterday's oral argument before the Supreme Court. http://www.supremecourtus.gov/...