ProPublica has reported that wealthy Republican donor Harlan Crow paid for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' grandnephew to attend two private schools in the late 2000s. Crow defended his actions, and the cost of the tuition could have been at least $150,000. This has sparked outcry and calls for ethics reform, as critics argue that the payments could be seen as a form of bribery and could be in violation of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges.
Posts tagged as “Andre Thoma”
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted private school tuition payments from conservative GOP megadonor Harlan Crow for his teenage grandnephew, Mark Martin, according to a new report from ProPublica. The total amount that Crow paid for Martin’s tuition over the years is unclear, but the news of Justice Thomas’ undisclosed gifts has raised questions about whether the payments were appropriate and if they violated the Code of Conduct for United States Judges. This has sparked a debate about the ethics of accepting gifts from those with a direct interest in a case before the court.
Rumer Willis and Derek Richard Thomas welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Louetta Isley Thomas Willis, on April 18th. The name is a classic, popular in the early 20th century, and the couple celebrated the birth of their daughter with their family and friends. The couple expressed their love for their daughter, calling her "pure magic" and a reminder of the joy and hope that can be found in difficult times.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) has requested documents from Harlan Crow, a Texas billionaire who has donated millions to conservative causes, to investigate whether his gifts to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas violated federal tax law. Chief Justice John Roberts has responded to a request from Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) for Roberts to testify about Thomas’s relationship with Crow by providing a statement of ethics principles and practices to which all current Supreme Court members subscribe. Wyden's letter to Crow requests documents and communications related to the gifts, as well as any records of payments made to Thomas or his wife, to investigate whether the gifts violated federal tax law.
Chief Justice John Roberts has declined an invitation from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin to testify before the committee on May 2, citing judicial independence and separation of powers concerns. The revelations about Justice Thomas' close ties to a billionaire Republican donor have “contributed to a crisis of public confidence” in the nation’s highest bench. Roberts' decision to decline the invitation is likely to add to the controversy surrounding the court and will be met with further action to address the ethical issues raised by the reports on Justice Thomas.
Dick Durbin, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has invited Chief Justice John Roberts to testify on Supreme Court ethics rules in light of reports of Justice Clarence Thomas' undisclosed acceptance of luxury gifts and real estate transactions. Durbin believes Roberts is an articulate and well-schooled man who would do well in responding to senators' questions, and that Thomas' reported conduct would amount to a violation of law if he were a circuit court judge. The hearing is expected to take place in early October.
Key takeaways: A Florida couple delivering groceries for Instacart had a frightening experience when they drove to the wrong address. The couple said that as…
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has invited Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss ethics reform in the judiciary following reports of Justice Clarence Thomas' undisclosed gifts and trips from a Republican megadonor. Roberts has been asked to testify on potential reforms to the ethics rules, but not answer questions from committee members. The invitation has been met with criticism, and it is unclear if Roberts will accept. The committee has set a hearing date of May 2 for the potential testimony.