Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch will not participate in an environmental case next week, citing the court’s new ethics code. The decision follows pressure from liberal groups and members of Congress to recuse himself due to his past links to billionaire Philip Anschutz. Gorsuch’s recusal raises questions about Supreme Court justices’ ethical standards and whether they should recuse themselves from cases with potential conflicts of interest. The case in question involves environmental reviews for a railroad project in Utah, in which Anschutz has an interest. Critics have raised concerns about the lack of enforcement mechanisms in the court’s new code of conduct. Before joining the Supreme Court, Gorsuch had recused himself from cases involving Anschutz due to his prior representation of him as a lawyer and their close relationship. Rep. Hank Johnson and other lawmakers had called for Gorsuch’s recusal, citing his conflict of interest.
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