Fix the Court supports the conclusion of the “Exposure Draft” released today by the Judicial Conference’s Codes of Conduct Committee that states that “judicial membership in both organizations (ACS and FedSoc) is inconsistent with the Code” of Conduct for U.S. Judges. FTC’s Gabe Roth released the following statement:

“Members of the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society are quick to point out that there’s a wide range of beliefs within their organizations. Whether that’s true matters little.

“The public clearly perceives these groups as politically motivated, and they’ve done little to dispel that notion: all 23 appellate judges who spoke at last year’s Fed Soc convention were appointed by Republican presidents, and all but one who spoke at ACS were Democratic appointees.

“By maintaining formal affiliations in these organizations, judges send the signal that they are active players on one of two ideologically motivated teams. There’s nothing wrong with having these two teams, but judges should refrain from putting on either side’s uniform and stick to the role of umpire.”