The top Senate Judiciary Committee member said the panel would act after allegations that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas acted unethically by accepting gifts from a rich friend.
An investigation by ProPublica highlighted the longtime friendship between Justice Thomas and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.
The two met in the 1990s and have mutual interests. Crow has financed a library dedicated to the Justice, bought him lavish gifts, and invited Thomas and his wife on many group vacations.
It seems every few years their friendship is shuffled back into the spotlight with allegations of ethical violations.
In 2011, the New York Times published a similar piece, where one of its judicial experts noted, “I don’t think I could say it’s unethical. It’s just a very peculiar situation.”
Crow responded in a statement, saying, “The hospitality we have extended to the Thomas’s over the years is no different from the hospitality we have extended to our many other dear friends. Justice Thomas and Ginni never asked for any of this hospitality.”
He also emphasized, “We have never asked about a pending or lower court case, and Justice Thomas has never discussed one, and we have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue.”
“More generally, I am unaware of any of our friends ever lobbying or seeking to influence Justice Thomas on any case, and I would never invite anyone who I believe had any intention of doing that. These are gatherings of friends.”
Still, that hasn’t stopped publications from bringing it back up, and currently elected Democrats continue to act outraged.
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said ProPublica’s report was a “call to action” and that the Supreme Court must adhere to an enforceable code of conduct.
“The highest court in the land shouldn’t have the lowest ethical standards,” he said.
The Supreme Court is not currently bound by any code of ethics and largely polices itself on those concerns. Many Justices accept gifts and attend events with political overtones, as the New York Times reported.
But Thomas specifically has attracted new attention.
“This is beyond party or partisanship,” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said on Twitter. “This degree of corruption is shocking — almost cartoonish. Thomas must be impeached.”
AOC really shows us WHO she is and WHAT she’s made of by her condemnation of this fine gentleman.
Dems DO same thing Both=
Well I think they are being racist in their targeting of Justice Thomas.
The far left (Democrats) are not interested in race unless it is adjacent to far left race. Look at what Lewis did to Baltimore. A hell hole.. They elected these scum bags.
When are the republicans going to start digging up dirt on democrats? I would t think it wouldn’t be very difficult to go back 20 or more years and find something they said or did that is illegal that would jeopardize their jobs, especially since misdemeanors can now be up scaled to felonies. I am sick and tired of seeing them attack republicans to try to win elections or gain more power. It is time to strike back.
The evil dems are DIRTIER than any independent or republican. All they know is LYING, CHEATING, STEALING & DESTRUCTION.
God knows ALL THEIR DIRTY SECRETS!!
I am glad the author included public testimony from Mr Crow vindicating Justice Thomas and publicly displaying a true intellectual friendship between two successful men who have the moral character and personal integrity to show true transpereity in their private relationship.
Of course Crow is going to deny that there’s anything unseemly about his largesse showered on Clarence Thomas. But Thomas is only “a dear friend” because he’s a SCOTUS judge, not because the two were boyhood chums. If you believe what Crow claims then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I will sell you cheaply!
So typical of the left to go after an incredible and conservative justice! They want him replaced with another weirdo who can’t even define what a woman is. Leave him alone!!!! Isn’t it time for the GOP to strike back? Will they ever have the guts to go after people that deserve to be in prison????
Just because someone votes the way you like doesn’t make them a good guy. Like those white supremacist racists that voted for Trump who didn’t need their votes to win. And your Matt Walsh hero that made his movie “What Is A Woman?” can’t even say what a DAY is – see his youtube video “Why I Am Not A Young Earth Creationist.” But don’t worry, Thomas is safe. The only crimes these days is using an IUD or the wrong pronouns!
Gosh! How do I get that billionaire to think of ME as a “dear friend?!” OH I KNOW! Become a powerful government official!
Seriously, a man that does not know that it is wrong to accept half-million-dollar vacations from such a “dear friend” has no business being a judge, let alone a Supreme Court Justice. Oliver North was convicted of accepting an illegal gift as a govt employee and, as I recall, that was only a home security system worth something like $10K.