Senate Democrats render a verdict on Supreme Court ethics

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Politico

12/21/2024 07:01 AM EST


Senate Democrats wrapped up their extensive investigation of Supreme Court justices’ ethics practices Saturday, issuing a report blasting two conservative justices for accepting expensive gifts from wealthy benefactors and slamming Chief Justice John Roberts for a lackadaisical response to ethical lapses by his colleagues.

“Now more than ever before, as a result of information gathered by subpoenas, we know the extent to which the Supreme Court is mired in an ethical crisis of its own making,” outgoing Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin said in a statement. “Whether failing to disclose lavish gifts or failing to recuse from cases with apparent conflicts of interest, it’s clear that the justices are losing the trust of the American people at the hands of a gaggle of fawning billionaires.”

The report levels its most strident criticism at Justice Clarence Thomas, alleging that he received gifts totaling millions of dollars since he joined the high court in 1991. “The number, value, and extravagance by Justice Thomas have no comparison in modern American history,” the report says.

Many of the trips, including one Thomas and his wife Ginni Thomas took by yacht and private jet in Indonesia in 2019 as a guest of billionaire developer Harlan Crow, were unearthed by ProPublica last year. However, the Senate Democrats claimed credit for turning up two previously unknown trips Crow treated Thomas to closer to home in New York, including one by yacht.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/21/senate-democrats-render-a-verdict-on-supreme-court-ethics-00195790

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Link to REPORT (PDF viewer) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/11bznvFN1RwlLT9bZR_p_DntOrY1njKYz/view

[BoRaGard]

1. Grifty G.O.P. judges are unfit for duty

[bluesbassman]

2. Well thanks Captains Obvious.

I’m sure the Court will give that report it’s full attention and consideration.

[FBaggins]

4. It does seem a little deceptive, doesn't it?

"Verdict" sure sounds like a formal ruling (or otherwise carrying some weight).

I'm sure the new republican majority will get right on that.

[Wicked Blue]

3. The problem is, what can anybody DO about this?

[Biophilic]

5. and since nothing will be done this is a nothing berger.

[FakeNoose]

6. Maybe Thomas and Alito will resign and Chump will bring in something even worse to replace them

[FBaggins]

9. I expect that's the plan

Unless a wave of irrationality makes it start to look like they will control the WH and senate for more than four years... I'd expect at least one of the two to retire in the next 12-18 months (possibly both of them)

[jvill]

7. Not another sternly worded letter!!! Oh Nooooooooooooooooooooosssss!!!

Is the Dems strategy really to pour time and resources into something that everyone knows will go nowhere, reinforcing the perception that they are a limp d!ck party that is incapable of defending itself or this democracy?

[BumRushDaShow]

8. As FYI - the whole point of hearings and reports in Congress

Last edited Sat Dec 21, 2024, 01:00 PM - Edit history (1)

is so that they can draft legislation to "fix a problem". Reports like this provide justification for the language in any legislation and can uncover any loopholes in existing law.

Of course the passage of that legislation is dependent on who can get the majority of the votes to pass it and only having had a "majority" of 51 votes (but it was more like a minority of 49 with Manchin and Sinema) and no control over the House, then what was left was to build the foundation for when we are back in the position to enact new laws.

We could go "extra-judicial" and drag the asses Alito and Thomas and their wives out of their homes and throw them in prison to "show balls", but THAT is not "democracy"...

[GB_RN]

11. Certainly Would Feel Good, Though...

Especially since the four of them are known, seditious pieces of shit.

[Nigrum Cattus]

10. Producing the report is good, acting on it is better

Just like the Jan 6 commission report, if you don't act on it is just paper.

[republianmushroom]

12. Ethics, roberts supreme court, surely you jest. ha ha Ethics ha

[GoreWon2000]

13. 24 years too late

This report is 24 years too late. Had the corrupt repug SCOTUS majority been held accountable for their 2000 judicial coup d'état that disenfranchised our entire country, there would be no corrupt Roberts court today.