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.
Posts tagged as “John Roberts”
This article discusses the upcoming Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the need for an ethics code of conduct for the Supreme Court. The hearing follows revelations that Justice Clarence Thomas had received lavish gifts from a conservative donor, and is being chaired by Senator Dick Durbin. It is expected to be closely watched, as it could have a major impact on the future of the Supreme Court.
Senate Judiciary Committee has requested answers from Chief Justice John Roberts regarding the Supreme Court's ethics policies. The letter was in response to a request from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for Roberts to appear before the committee or designate another justice to appear for a hearing. The senators listed several questions they wanted Roberts to answer, including how the court handles recusals, how it handles complaints of ethical misconduct, and how it ensures that justices are not influenced by outside sources.
Senators Angus King and Lisa Murkowski have introduced the Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, which would require the Supreme Court to implement a code of conduct and designate an official to review potential conflicts of interest. Chief Justice John Roberts has declined an invitation to testify at a committee hearing on the Supreme Court's ethics rules, but the justices have released a statement stressing their commitment to ethics principles. The bill is an important step in ensuring that the Supreme Court is held to the highest ethical standards.
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.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has invited Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to testify at an upcoming hearing on ethics reform, following recent revelations about a billionaire GOP mega-donor's friendship with one of the justices. Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) noted that since 2011, there has been a steady stream of ethical issues, and the hearing will be an opportunity for the Supreme Court to address these and provide the public with more information. It is unclear whether Roberts will accept the invitation, but the hearing is expected to take place in early May.