Eight House Democrats are calling on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from a case involving former President Donald Trump's immunity from federal prosecution due to his wife's political activities and his financial situation. The Democrats argued that Thomas' financial situation and his wife's political activities raise questions about his impartiality and should lead him to recuse himself from the case. They urged the Supreme Court to take the necessary steps to ensure that the case is heard by impartial justices.
Posts tagged as “Clarence Thomas”
Key takeaways: The Supreme Court rejected a First Amendment challenge to a Washington state law that bars licensed health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on…
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Florida's bid to enforce a law that would have prohibited children from attending drag shows, keeping in place a lower court ruling as a legal challenge continues. The law was challenged by a restaurant in Orlando known as Hamburger Mary's, arguing that it was unconstitutional and imposed unlawful restrictions on free speech. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted Florida's bid, while Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett said the court's decision does not speak to their views on the merits of the case.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has announced plans to issue subpoenas to three individuals in connection with a probe into ethics practices at the Supreme Court. The 11 Democratic members of the panel are targeting two wealthy Republican donors and an influential conservative legal activist in order to uncover more information about the trips provided to two Supreme Court justices. The investigation is a significant escalation of the Democrats' efforts to hold the high court accountable, and the subpoenas could provide important insight into the relationship between the justices and wealthy donors.
A report released by Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee has found that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had not repaid the full amount of a $267,230 loan he had taken out to purchase an RV in 1999. The report has raised further questions about Thomas’s ethics and financial dealings, and the committee is continuing to investigate and has requested additional documents from Thomas and his friend who had lent him the money. It is unclear whether Thomas has taken out any other loans or accepted any other gifts that he has not disclosed.
The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from John Eastman, former legal adviser to Donald Trump, who sought to shield his emails from investigators of the Jan. 6 Capitol assault. Justice Clarence Thomas, who had previously shown support for Trump's legal arguments, recused himself from the case, though the reason for his recusal is unclear. Eastman had served as a law clerk to the justice, and emails obtained by the House panel showed that Ginni Thomas, the justice's wife, corresponded with the conservative lawyer.
Justice Alito Responds to Criticism from Senate Democrats Over Interview with Right-Wing Commentator
Justice Alito Responds to Criticism from Senate Democrats Over Interview with Right-Wing Commentator
Justice Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court issued a statement on Friday in response to criticism from Senate Democrats over his decision to grant two interviews to a right-wing commentator and attorney with a case before the court. Alito argued that the critics fail to understand “the circumstances under which Supreme Court Justices must work” and that the interview he gave violated no ethical standards. This statement is a reminder of the ongoing debate over ethical standards for Supreme Court Justices, as the court has yet to adopt an official ethics code.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has disclosed trips paid for by his friend, billionaire Harlan Crow, in his annual financial disclosure report. This has renewed focus on judicial ethics, as it is the first disclosure form filed by the justice since he came under scrutiny for his relationship with the Texas developer. The remaining seven justices have filed their 2022 reports, but it is unclear if any of them have had similar trips paid for by outside sources.