WASHINGTON: Two Supreme Court Judges said a media report that they were at odds over the use of masks in court during the recent surge in the case of Coronavirus was wrong.
The court on Wednesday issued a statement of three unusual penalties from Judge Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch.
It reads: “reported that Sotomayor justice asked for Justice Gorsuch to wear our surprise mask.
It was wrong.
Even though sometimes we might not agree about the law, we are a colleague and a warm friend.” Sotomayor was the appointment of former President Barack Obama while Gorsuch was appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Sotomayor, who suffered from diabetes, has attended an argument remotely from his room this month during the surge in Omicron Coronavirus variant.
His colleagues, with the exception of Gorgsh, have wore this month’s mask while hearing an argument in the courtroom.
Wednesday then, chairman of Judge John Roberts responded to the question of whether he had asked his colleagues to wear a mask with his own statement: “I did not ask for Justice Gorsuch or other justice to wear a mask on the bench.” He said he would have no further comments.
Gorsuch never said why he didn’t wear a mask on the bench.
He has not responded to a request for comments from the Associated Press.
The two statements from the judge came after the NPR Supreme Court Correspondent from Nina Totenberg reported Tuesday on the alleged conflict between Sotomayor and Gorsh, which usually sat next to each other during a fight in the High Court.
Totenberg reported that unknown trial sources said “Sotomayor felt safe at close range with people who opened the guise of” and that “Judge Chairman John Roberts, understood that, in some forms asked another judge to cover.” He is not complicated.
Scratching decisions not to wear masks “also mean that Sotomayor has not attended the judge’s weekly conference directly, joining the telephone,” Totenberg reported.
Totenberg did not immediately respond to email requests for comments from the Associated Press.
Following the story of the NPR, CNN also reported that “the source familiar with the situation” said Sotomayor did not “feel comfortable sitting on a bench near the masked colleague.” Both NPR stories and CNN stories do not say Sotomayor immediately asked Gorsuch to wear a mask.
The Judge’s statement did not say what he reported to refer it.
Because the judge returned to hear the argument in-person in October, Sotomayor had been wearing a mask during a fight in a high court while his colleagues did not.
They changed their practice this month during the surge in Omicron Coronavirus variant.
All judges have been vaccinated against Coronavirus and receive booster shots.
Lawyers who argue before the judge must also have a negative Coronavirus test or argue remotely by telephone, and journalists who are directly asked to have a negative test.
So far, three lawyers must argue through this month’s telephone because of a positive test.
The public is currently not allowed to attend the argument.