Justices have used their staff to promote their book sales. They have attended campus fundraising events where wealthy donors to the university -- some of whom later have business before the Court -- receive special access to the justices. The questionable practices are not limited by political leaning.
"Lower court federal judges are generally barred from engaging in fundraising, political activity and 'lending the prestige of judicial office' to advance a judge's own 'private interests,'" but the Supreme Court's ethics principles and disclosure practices are much less stringent than those applied to other judges, Congress, or the Executive branch.
"[T]he Supreme Court's definition of banned fundraising is so narrow -– simply an event that raises more than it costs or where guests are asked for donations -– that it does not account for soliciting contributors later while reminding them of the special access they were afforded."
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