When Investments Get In the Way of Justice

摘要

Justice Samuel Alito's seat was empty when the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Oct. 14 in a case with important ramifications for the power industry. Alito recused himself because he, or his wife, owns stock in Johnson Controls, whose EnergyConnect subsidiary is joining the Obama administration to argue in favor of rules that would give financial incentives to large electricity consumers to reduce use during peak hours. The day after the hearing, Justice Stephen Breyer's wife, Joanna Hare Breyer, sold the 750 shares of Johnson Controls she owned-worth about $33,000. Supreme Court Clerk Scott Harris said in a letter that "the ordinary conflict-check conducted injustice Breyer's chambers inadvertently failed to find this potential conflict."