Senate Judiciary Committee Issues Subpoenas to Conservative Activists as Part of Supreme Court Ethics Investigation

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to issue subpoenas to conservative activists Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo, as part of an investigation into ethics practices at the Supreme Court. The subpoenas were approved by 11 Democratic senators, with no other senators voting. Republican members of the committee walked out of the room during the vote, with only Sen. Lindsey Graham, the panel’s top Republican, remaining.

The vote followed a contentious meeting in which Republicans accused their Democratic colleagues of attempting to undermine the Supreme Court by targeting private citizens. Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters that Republicans had filed 177 amendments, which would have taken hours to go through.

The subpoenas are part of a larger investigation into the Supreme Court’s ethics practices. The investigation was launched after a series of reports revealed that the court had failed to properly disclose gifts and travel expenses from conservative groups. The court has since implemented a new ethics code, which requires justices to disclose gifts and travel expenses.

The new ethics code also requires justices to recuse themselves from cases in which they have a financial interest or have received a gift from a party involved in the case. The code also prohibits justices from participating in political activities, such as fundraising or endorsing candidates.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation into the Supreme Court’s ethics practices is ongoing. It is unclear when the committee will receive the information it has requested from Crow and Leo.