activists call for the impeachment of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas outside of the U.S. Capitol Building Paul Morigi/Getty Images for MoveOn
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has recently come under heavy scrutiny after a ProPublica report revealed he had taken several luxury vacations over the past two decades financed by billionaire Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow, which he never disclosed on financial disclosure forms. The lavish trips included flights on Crow’s private jets and cruises on his “superyacht,” one of which would have cost Thomas and his wife, Ginni Thomas, over $500,000, ProPublica estimated. The extent of gifts Thomas received from Crow has “no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court,” ProPublica said.
Thomas stopped reporting his received gifts in 2004 after the Los Angeles Times reported on the tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts he had accepted over the previous six years, much of which came from Crow.
A group of Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts, imploring him to launch an investigation into the reports about Thomas’s luxury vacations on a donor’s dime without disclosing them. “If the Court does not resolve this issue on its own, the Committee will consider legislation to resolve it,” the Democrats wrote. Should Thomas be held accountable for hiding his gifted vacations?
‘The Supreme Court is not going to police itself’
The Supreme Court needs to reform how it polices itself, and should consider instituting a mandatory ethics code, says Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, in the Los Angeles Times. “In the meantime,” Waldman opines, “Congress or the Justice Department should investigate Thomas’ conduct to let the public know the facts and whether the gifts and trips he received violated the law.” There is “ample precedent” for these types of investigations, Waldman explains, noting that Congress investigated Justice Abe Fortas in 1968 after he took “undisclosed support from a wealthy friend.” Fortas resigned before he could be impeached.
Story continues
“The Supreme Court is not going to police itself,” Jamelle Bouie surmises in The New York Times. The only remedy to the court’s corruption, Bouie adds, “is to subject it to the same checks and limits we associate with the other branches.” The Democratic Party “will have to abandon its squeamishness about challenging and shaping the Supreme Court.” In the end, “it is up to elected officials to remind the court that it serves the republic and not the other way around,” Bouie concludes.
Democrats are just trying to ‘smear’ conservative justices
The news about Thomas’s luxury excursions is a “non-bombshell” that the left is using to smear the Supreme Court, The Wall Street Journal said in an editorial. The demands that Thomas resign or be investigated or impeached “give away the real political game here.” Thomas’s critics intend to “smear the conservative Justices and tarnish the Court to tee up case recusals, impeachment or a Court-packing scheme if Democrats get enough Senate votes to break the filibuster,” the Journal added.
The only scandal Bret Stephens of The New York Times sees is that the luxury trips don’t match Thomas’s “self-portrait as a guy who likes to drive his R.V. around the country, spending nights in Walmart parking lots.” No rules required justices to disclose information about vacations taken with wealthy friends until last month. That makes the idea of “the idea of trying to toss him off the court a nonstarter,” Stephens mused, “not to mention a bad precedent lest some liberal justices turn out to have rich and generous friends, too.”
You may also like
Millie Bobby Brown appears to announce engagement to Jon Bon Jovi’s son
Leaker of damaging U.S. intelligence files was reportedly administrator of a Discord chat room
NASA unveils 3D-printed Mars habitat where 4 people will live for a year
The debate over Clarence Thomas’ luxury vacations
- Advertisment - 
Recent Comments
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on The Rev. Al Sharpton to lead protest after Florida governor’s ban of African American studies course
on Sports World Hails ‘Superwoman’ Lindsey Vonn for Her Grand Comeback Despite Career-Changing Injury
on San Mateo County Community College District sues five companies over role in ‘pay to play’ scandal
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on ‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Violet’ Fan Theories Suggest Legendary Time Travel, Alternate Dimension Plot
on Joe Manchin and Tommy Tuberville introduce bill on name, image and likeness rules for college sports
on Inside the Michael Jordan ‘Air’ movie, plus why NFL, others are buying into the sports film industry
on If you’re a frequent traveler, these wrap tops from Aday will revolutionize your on-the-go wardrobe
on How Does Jack Nicklaus Travel? Exploring the Private Jets Owned by the ‘Golden Bear’ Over the Years
on Hollywood Reporter: Tom Cruise negotiated with movie studios over AI before the actors strike began
on Ford Blue Cruise: US regulators investigate fatal crashes involving hands-free driving technology
on Dozens of boats cruise the Seine in a rehearsal for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 26
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Boise State vs. Air Force live stream, odds, channel, prediction, how to watch on CBS Sports Network
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Carlos Sainz’s Soccer Fanboy Emerges as Spaniard Shares Defining Moment With This Real Madrid Legend
on Biden: ‘At this point I’m not’ planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on Ahead of big sports weekend, dispute with Disney leaves millions of cable subscribers in the dark
on A heavy wave of Russian missile attacks pounds areas across Ukraine, killing at least 4 civilians
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on Army vs. Coastal Carolina live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez Spreads Joy and Sportsmanship to the Youth of Loma de Cabrera
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year, more than in 2019
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on Dave Portnoy: Taylor Swift’s security should ‘drag Kim Kardashian to jail’ if she attends Eras Tour
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports, Serie A announce new TV rights deal; Paramount+ to air over 400 Italian soccer matches
on Cam Newton’s Violent Public Incident Draws Hilarious Reaction From 3x All-Star: “Where Do I Sign Up
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Angel Reese Launches Foundation Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Sports & Financial Literacy
on A weaker dollar, skyrocketing prices and ‘record’ visitor numbers: Good luck in Europe this summer