Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Top Democrats demand that Chief Justice John Roberts open investigation into Clarence Thomas after report claims he accepted free vacations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from a GOP mega donor

Top Democrats demand that Chief Justice John Roberts open investigation into Clarence Thomas after report claims he accepted free vacations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from a GOP mega donor

The Democratic lawmakers are urging the nation's highest court to adopt and enforce "a proper code of ethics."
The revelation that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted free vacations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars — gifted him by a right-wing billionaire and Republican mega-donor — has prompted leading Democrats to demand that the nation's highest court adopt "a proper code of ethics."

In a letter sent Friday and addressed to Chief Justice John Roberts, the top-ranking Democrats on the House and Senate judiciary committees demanded an investigation into Thomas, writing that they were alarmed by the allegations "of unethical, and potentially unlawful conduct at the Supreme Court."

The investigative news outlet ProPublica on Thursday reported that Thomas has for decades now accepted free travel from Harlan Crow, a Texas-based real estate developer who in 2014 purchased a $55 million home in Dallas. One of the vacations cost more than a half million dollars, the outlet reported.

Crow has also given generously — some $500,000 — to a right-wing activist group led by Thomas's wife, Ginni, who in 2020 lobbied state legislators in a bid to overturn the presidential election.

On Friday morning, Thomas himself issued a rare statement in which he described the gifts as "personal hospitality from close friends" and said he was advised that, as such, he did not need to disclose them, CNN reported.

The lawmakers — Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Richard Blumenthal, and Reps. Henry Johnson and Jerrold Nadler — are not buying that argument. In their letter, they argue that the trips should have been made public, stating that the disclosure exceptions for federal employees are meant for typical hospitality among "ordinary, personal friendships," not to "allow government officials to hide from the public extravagant gifts by wealthy political interests."

They also call for a "swift, thorough, independent, and transparent investigation into these allegations."

They close by urging Chief Justice Roberts to ensure that the highest court's ethics code is treated are more than just a suggestion.

"It is well past time for the Supreme Court to align with the rest of government in a proper code of ethics enforced by independent investigation and reporting," the letter states, threatening congressional action if it should not do so.

In February, the lawmakers introduced legislation that would require the Supreme Court to create a process for fielding public ethics complaints, with a panel of lower-court judges empowered to investigate them.

Liberal activist groups, who have long been raising concerns about Thomas and his wife's activism, are urging Congress to step in.

"The highest court in the land should have the highest ethical standards," Kyle Herrig, president of the advocacy group Accountable.US, said in a statement. "When it doesn't, Congress should exert its oversight authority."

A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×