ProPublica reported that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips for over two decades from a prominent Republican donor without disclosing them. Senate Democrats emphasize the “need to restore confidence in the Supreme Court’s ethical standards.”
an array of trips — including travel on a superyacht and private jet — Thomas took that were funded by Harlan Crow, a Dallas business executive. The publication said Thomas typically spends about a week every summer at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondacks.
In a letter Monday to Roberts, Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin , who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and fellow Democratic members of the panel urged the chief justice to investigate the claims made in the ProPublica report. The Democrats also announced that their committee will hold a hearing on the “need to restore confidence in the Supreme Court’s ethical standards.”
The ProPublica report prompted furious reactions from Democrats, some of whom called for Thomas — the court’s senior justice — to resign. It also fueled Democrats’ demands that the court adopt an enforceable code of conduct.Judiciary Committee Democrats noted that in 2012 they urged Roberts to adopt a resolution that would bind justices to the same code of conduct to which all other federal judges are sworn.
“If the Court does not resolve this issue on its own, the Committee will consider legislation to resolve it,” the Democrats wrote. “But you do not need to wait for Congress to act to undertake your own investigation into the reported conduct and to ensure that it cannot happen again.”In the letter to Roberts, Senate Judiciary Democrats said their panel has the responsibility to ensure that the Supreme Court “does not have the federal judiciary’s lowest ethical standards.
“You have a role to play as well, both in investigating how such conduct could take place at the Court under your watch, and in ensuring that such conduct does not happen again,” they wrote. “We urge you to immediately open such an investigation and take all needed action to prevent further misconduct.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Senate Democrats push Chief Justice John Roberts to investigate Justice Clarence Thomas' trips with GOP donorDemocrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are urging Chief Justice John Roberts to open an investigation into luxury trips Justice Clarence Thomas accepted from a GOP megadonor over the years and did not disclose to the public.
Read more »
Senate Democrats urge Supreme Court chief justice to investigate Clarence Thomas luxury tripsClarence Thomas has reportedly gone on trips for decades funded by billionaire GOP donor Harlan Crow.
Read more »
Senate Democrats demand Chief Justice John Roberts probe Clarence Thomas’ travel, giftsSenate Democrats sent a letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Monday demanding he investigates Justice Clarence Thomas’ undisclosed travel with a GOP mega-donor.
Read more »
Senate Democrats Urge John Roberts To Probe Clarence Thomas' Undisclosed Gifts'If the Court does not resolve this issue on its own, the Committee will consider legislation to resolve it,' said the Judiciary Committee members.
Read more »
AOC Wants To Know Who “Advised” Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to Not Disclose GiftsSeveral Democrats wrote a letter to Chief Justice Roberts saying the gifts create “a very, very serious problem.”
Read more »
Lawmakers Urge Chief Justice Roberts to Probe Clarence Thomas’s Secret TripsCalls mount for Thomas to be investigated after accepting millions in undisclosed gifts from billionaire Harlan Crow.
Read more »