Sen. Chris Murphy: Justice Alito is 'stunningly wrong' about Senate authority

July 30 (UPI) -- Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Ct., has sharp criticism for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito after Alito claimed the Senate does not have the authority to hold the high court to a code of conduct.

Appearing on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, Murphy said Alito's assertion is "stunningly wrong," noting that Alito's seat on the court was created through an act passed by the House and Senate.

"It is Congress that establishes the number of justices on the supreme court," Murphy said. "It is Congress that has passed in the past requirements for justices to disclose certain information, and so it is just wrong on the facts to say that Congress doesn't have anything to do with the rules guiding the supreme court."

Alito dismissed calls from the Senate to establish a Supreme Court code of conduct on Friday in an editorial published by the Wall Street Journal.

"I know this is a controversial view, but I'm willing to say it," Alito said. "No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court -- period."

Alito and Justice Clarence Thomas are under fire from Democratic lawmakers after both have been found to have received lavish gifts and trips from mega-rich Republican donors. Alito is accused of attempting to dispel a report on a luxury Alaskan fishing excursion he went on with a billionaire Republican donor 15 years ago.

"But it is even more disturbing that Alito feels the need to insert himself into a congressional debate. And it is just more evidence that these justices on the Supreme Court, these conservative justices, just see themselves as politicians," Murphy added. "They just see themselves as a second legislative body that has just as much power and right to impose their political will on the country as Congress does."

The Senate has introduced bipartisan legislation that would require the Supreme Court to establish and adhere to a code of conduct. The bill was introduced by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

Alito was nominated to the Supreme Court by former President George W. Bush in 2006.