WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts sat out a case involving a drug company in which he owns stock, resulting in a 4-4 tie vote Monday that leaves the issue undecided nationally.
While justices don’t give reasons for not taking part in cases, it appears to be the third time that Roberts’ financial holdings have played a role in his participation or absence from cases. With Roberts on the sidelines and the other justices evenly split, the court left intact a lower-court ruling favorable to people who sued Warner-Lambert, claiming they were harmed by its diabetes drug Rezulin.
The company is owned by Pfizer Inc., a company in which Roberts owns $15,000 to $50,000 worth of stock. The holdings were listed on the financial-disclosure form the chief justice filed in May.
