It's about gifts to public officials

[AverageOldGuy]

In the early 1990’s I was in a Pentagon assignment that required me to make public appearances around the country, speaking to veterans’ groups and various civic groups. Frequently they presented me with a small memento – an embroidered baseball cap, a logo T-shirt, a pen and pencil set.

When I returned to the Pentagon I was required to turn in these gifts to the Department of Defense General Counsel office and fill out a form describing who gave me the gift, what I did for them, and the like. A few weeks later, I would receive a package through Pentagon inter-office mail with a letter from the General Counsel telling me that in their judgement, no laws had been violated by my accepting the gift and I can keep it.

Now we find that Supreme Court justices accept with impunity all-expense-paid fishing trips, sweetheart loans to buy a luxury RV, multi-thousand-dollar honoraria for making speeches, and other similar gifts.

Why was I – an unimportant Army colonel -- required to abide by ethical laws far more stringent than any such rules covering Supreme Court justices?

And they cannot understand why respect for the Court is in the toilet.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Sir, there is no such thing as an unimportant Army Colonel

You accepted such requirement with grace and integrity. You are a Patriot. Some of those on the SC know nothing of either.

This Old Guy Swabby Salutes You Colonel.

[Bev54]

2. Hell, as a banker, I was not allowed to accept gifts over $50. This is not difficult to understand.

[Old Crank]

3. When I worked for the State of Nevada

We couldn't receive gifts, even a box of chocolates for the office.
Private companies were different.
So how do these great legal minds no understand this?

[Irish_Dem]

4. The rules/laws are only for the little people.

The elite knows they can do whatever they want with impunity.