One Wright sees a Wrong

Judge Scott Wright addresses Justice Scalia's duck blindness:

As a member of the federal judiciary, I feel that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is making a grave mistake in refusing to recuse himself from the case involving the task force headed by Vice President Dick Cheney (3/19, A-4, “Supreme Court justice explains refusal to recuse himself”).

Federal judges are required to recuse themselves when there is an appearance of impropriety. Justice Scalia, in going on a duck hunting trip with a person who is involved in a case before the court and accepting a free ride on a government plane, paid for by the taxpayers, to the hunting lodge at the invitation of the litigant, has created an obvious ground for recusal.

I have removed a number of jurors from the jury pool who have less of a conflict of interest than this.

The fact that Justice Scalia refuses to recuse himself not only reflects on him, but also reflects on the whole federal judiciary.

Scott O. Wright
United States district judge
Kansas City