"This recusal should have been a no-brainer for Scalia . . . Federal law requires federal judges,
including Supreme Court justices, to recuse themselves "in any proceeding in which his {or
her} impartiality might reasonably be questioned." Under the circumstances surrounding
the Cheney case, this federal law all but compels Scalia to recuse himself.
Granted, there is no remedy when a Justice wrongfully refuses to recuse
himself when it is plainly appropriate. But Scalia's decision is wrong
nonetheless. Indeed, the fact that it involves the abuse of unchecked,
unreviewable discretion only makes it all the more egregious. "
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/lazarus/20040205.htmlThis gentleman, who clerked for the Supreme Court and wrote a book on its inner workings, "Closed Chambers" lays out a compelling and easy to understand rationale as to why Scalia absolutely must recuse himself from deciding the would be Elmer Fudd's case. It is not even a close call. Scalia's actions serve as a textbook case of what constitutes "the appearance of bias."