US Supreme Court's Gorsuch steps away from case after recusal request
By John Kruzel and Andrew Chung
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch will not participate in an environmental case to be argued next week involving a proposed railway in Utah, the court said on Wednesday, a move that followed a call by some Democratic lawmakers for him to recuse over a possible conflict of interest.
The one-paragraph announcement made public by a court official came in a letter addressed to lawyers in the case due to be argued next Tuesday. The other eight justices will hear and decide the case.
Gorsuch decided to withdraw from participating in the case consistent with the code of conduct adopted by the court last year, the statement said, but provided no further explanation.
U.S. congressman Hank Johnson and 12 other Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Gorsuch on Nov. 21 urging his withdrawal because businessman Philip Anschutz, a former legal client of the justice, has "a direct financial interest in the outcome" of the case. The lawmakers said that the Anschutz Exploration Corporation and other companies tied to the businessman could be affected by the case.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-supreme-courts-gorsuch-steps-230246171.html