Republican donor Harlan Crow has refused to provide a list of gifts he gave to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, prompting criticism from Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). Crow's lawyer argued that the Senate Finance Committee lacks a legislative purpose in its request for the list of gifts, and Senator Wyden has called for Justice Thomas to step down. It is unclear whether the Committee will pursue further action against Crow.
Posts tagged as “CrowdStrike”
Eleven members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Dick Durbin, have requested that Harlan Crow, a Republican donor and real estate magnate, provide an itemized list of gifts and real estate transactions given to Supreme Court justices or their family members. The committee has requested that Crow provide the requested information by May 22, 2023 and has not yet received a response. This is part of the committee’s ongoing efforts to craft legislation strengthening the ethical rules and standards that apply to the Supreme Court.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has called for the Supreme Court and Chief Justice John Roberts to adopt a binding code of conduct in response to a ProPublica story that revealed Dallas real estate billionaire Harlan Crow had paid tuition for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ grandnephew. Durbin argued that the revelations demonstrate the need for a binding code of conduct, and his call for action has been echoed by other lawmakers. The Supreme Court currently has a code of conduct, but it is not binding.
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.
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.
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.
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) has called for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas due to his relationship with a GOP megadonor, prompting Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin to promise a hearing on the alleged ethics violations. Reports suggest that Thomas failed to disclose luxury travel, gifts and a real estate transaction involving the donor, Texas-based billionaire Harlan Crow. Senate Democrats have expressed their disapproval but have yet to outline a plan to investigate Thomas.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin has expressed outrage over the revelation that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has received gifts and luxury travel from a Republican donor, prompting a debate among Senate Democrats over the need for a hearing on Supreme Court ethics. However, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has refused to help Democrats temporarily replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she is ill, effectively blocking any hopes of pushing through judicial nominations.