---

 [ LGBTQ ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq)

#  Supreme Court Justices Being Urged to Recuse Themselves from Upcoming LGBTQ Rights Cases

November 07 2019

Written by Alex Bollinger.

![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Nov-2019/090n.png)

INTEL REPORT--Two Supreme Court justices are being urged to recuse themselves from upcoming LGBTQ rights cases after a picture of them with the president of an anti-LGBTQ organization.

Last week, Justices Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh – both conservatives nominated by Republican presidents – appeared in a picture with Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which Brown shared on Twitter. Now the liberal organization Take Back the Court is calling on Alito and Kavanaugh to recuse themselves from upcoming LGBTQ cases.

![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Nov-2019/090o.png)NOM is an anti-LGBTQ organization that was set up to fight marriage equality, but also [opposes LGBTQ anti-discrimination measures and supports conversion therapy](https://www.hrc.org/resources/10-shocking-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-national-organization-for-mar). Brown is also the [SPLC designated hate group International Congress of Families](https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/12/19/national-organization-marriage-president-announces-international-anti-lgbt-group), which organizes internationally to oppose LGBTQ equality.

So a photo (left) of Brown with two Supreme Court Justices is troubling, especially since the Court is currently considering [three cases related to LGBTQ rights](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/10/todays-supreme-court-cases-lgbtq-peoples-right-work-right-live/): *Bostock v. Clayton County*, *Altitude Express v. Zarda*, and *R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC*. NOM filed amicus briefs in those cases, asking the Court to reject LGBTQ equality.

[Aaron Belkin of Take Back the Court sent them a letter](https://www.takebackthecourt.today/kavanaugh-alito-recusal-letter) to ask them to recuse themselves from the cases “light of serious concerns about your impartiality raised by your decision to pose for a photograph for social media” with Brown.

Belkin cited the Code of Conduct for Federal Judges, which says that a judge should not allow “relationships to influence judicial conduct or judgment” and that a judge “should neither lend the prestige of the judicial office to advance” their own private interests.

But he also noted that the Code of Conduct does not apply to the Supreme Court, still asking the justices to hold themselves to that standard and recuse themselves. *[(Read the rest) ](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/11/two-supreme-court-justices-appeared-photo-hate-group-leader/?utm_source=LGBTQ+Nation+Subscribers&utm_campaign=d6f9e0102c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_07_05_41&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c4eab596bd-d6f9e0102c-431470333)*

*-cw*

 [ ![save up to 4000 on used evs](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20ev%20ad2.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")

 [ ![Donna Tryfman](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/Donna-Tryfman-Ad-Final-Complete-Border-White-Margin.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")

 [ ![LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/2026%20LADWP%20PowerSavers%20300x250.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")

 [ ![David DeJute Campaign](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/DejuteAd.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")

 [ ![Pay Water Bill Help](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20-%20cares-ad.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")

 [ ![Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/reitano%20vertical%20rework.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")

###  Exploring LA

With Nick Cabot Rodriguez

 ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png)

## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays

 Phone

 [ ![Rhonda Haymon](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/rhonda%20haymon%20for%20judge.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")

 [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2")

 [ ![Spa](https://www.citywatchla.com/images//ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental2%208-11-26.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/109 "Me Dental Spa")

 [ ![Cheap Gas](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/banners/cheap-gas2-10-24.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/96 "Home - Cheap Gas")

 [ ![Neighborhood Council Map](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/banners/nc-map-graphic.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/89 "Home - Neighborhood Council Map")

 [ ![Neighborhood Council Meetings Here](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/NewsPromos/nc-meeting%20banner.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/90 "Home - Neighborhood Council Meetings Here")

 ---

##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/28/077a-28f4c04a.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california)

### [With National Implications, Corporate Landlords Take Aim at Three Pro-Rent Control Campaigns in California](https://www.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california)

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Corporate landlords and their high-powered lobbying group, the California Apartment Associat…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/e4/076m2-e4940934.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33386-massacre-on-city-streets-mayor-bass-must-issue-an-emergency-declaration-now)

### [Massacre on City Streets: Mayor Bass Must Issue an Emergency Declaration Now](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33386-massacre-on-city-streets-mayor-bass-must-issue-an-emergency-declaration-now)

NICK'S VIEW - I have previously written about Los Angeles’s grim paradox: a city that promises safer streets while bein…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/47/076g-478febfa.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-watchdog/33395-should-dwp-ratepayers-pay-for-the-citys-streetlights)

### [Should DWP Ratepayers Pay for the City’s Streetlights? ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-watchdog/33395-should-dwp-ratepayers-pay-for-the-citys-streetlights)

LA WATCHDOG - In June, 80% of Los Angeles voters rejected the Bureau of Street Lighting’s ballot measure to increase th…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/87/076b-874ab885.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33398-why-are-la-officials-ignoring-illegal-rv-parking-on-washington-blvd)

### [Why Are LA Officials Ignoring Illegal RV Parking on Washington Blvd?](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33398-why-are-la-officials-ignoring-illegal-rv-parking-on-washington-blvd)

WESTSIDE - Washington Blvd here in Venice is a main artery and corridor to the beach and pier. It is in fact a gateway…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/65/077d-653c208b.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/guest-words/33419-they-tried-to-break-the-jewish-people-we-kept-building)

### [They Tried to Break the Jewish People. We Kept Building](https://www.citywatchla.com/guest-words/33419-they-tried-to-break-the-jewish-people-we-kept-building)

A STUDENT’S VIEW - My generation of Jews has learned something I wish we did not have to learn so young: antisemitism i…

---

##  [ LGBTQ ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/e7/074n2-e71c6111.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33356-the-laurel-foundation-launches-the-art-of-online-auction-to-benefit-programs-for-lgbtq-youth-and-families)### [The Laurel Foundation Launches THE ART OF\_ Online Auction to Benefit Programs for LGBTQ+ Youth and Families](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33356-the-laurel-foundation-launches-the-art-of-online-auction-to-benefit-programs-for-lgbtq-youth-and-families)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/3d/071e2-3d40aca0.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33296-34-years-after-camp-laurel-began-for-kids-with-hiv-its-first-campers-return-with-children-of-their-own)### [34 Years After Camp Laurel Began for Kids With HIV, Its First Campers Return With Children of Their Own](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33296-34-years-after-camp-laurel-began-for-kids-with-hiv-its-first-campers-return-with-children-of-their-own)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/97/025h-97bb9ae9.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32477-attacks-on-transgender-women-are-part-of-a-larger-maga-agenda)### [Attacks on Transgender Women Are Part of a Larger MAGA Agenda](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32477-attacks-on-transgender-women-are-part-of-a-larger-maga-agenda)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a2/013r-a27d6a52.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32267-pride-flag-returns-to-stonewall-as-new-york-officials-defy-federal-directive)### [Pride Flag Returns to Stonewall as New York Officials Defy Federal Directive](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32267-pride-flag-returns-to-stonewall-as-new-york-officials-defy-federal-directive)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a2/012f-a2ed361b.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32245-california-lgbtq-community-still-worried-for-transgender-youth)### [California LGBTQ Community Still Worried For Transgender Youth](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32245-california-lgbtq-community-still-worried-for-transgender-youth)
