A recent report from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee has uncovered new allegations regarding the “lavish gifts” given to justices on the United States Supreme Court by donors.
The extensive 93-page report, published on Saturday, concludes a nearly two-year investigation spearheaded by outgoing Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin.
This report expands on previous investigations by ProPublica that raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest within the highest court in the country.
In particular, the report claims to have uncovered previously undisclosed trips allegedly funded by real estate developer Harlan Crow, a notable supporter of the Republican Party, which were reportedly taken by Justice Clarence Thomas.
Although other justices are mentioned in the report, Justice Thomas is specifically called out for criticism.
According to the report, “The number, value, and extravagance of the gifts accepted by Justice Thomas have no comparison in modern American history.”
Justice Thomas has not publicly responded to the allegations in the report yet.
Senate Democrats, including Durbin, have been advocating for the Supreme Court to establish a strong code of ethics to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure adherence to disclosure requirements.
In their report, the Democrats condemn Chief Justice John Roberts for not taking more decisive action to address the ethical issues within the court.
The report suggests that the court needs to confront “an ethical crisis of its own making.”
Following the investigation by ProPublica, Roberts initiated the implementation of a code of ethics for the Supreme Court, which had not existed previously. However, critics noted that the new code, unanimously approved by the justices in November 2023, lacked enforcement mechanisms and procedures for investigating violations.
This omission has sparked further public concern. Gallup, a renowned polling firm, reported on December 17 that confidence in the US judicial system had reached a historic low, setting the US apart from other affluent nations.
Gallup found that 55 percent of residents in OECD countries expressed confidence in their courts, on average. In contrast, only 35 percent of Americans shared the same sentiment.
It is likely that Saturday’s report will further contribute to this skepticism as it acknowledges the crisis of public faith.
The report underscores that justices appointed by presidents from both parties have engaged in ethically questionable conduct. It criticizes Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal-leaning justice, for initially failing to disclose travel expenses covered by the University of Rhode Island during a book tour.
Nonetheless, the report reserves its harshest criticism for Justice Thomas and his conservative counterparts, Samuel Alito and the late Antonin Scalia.
Many of the incidents outlined in the report have been previously noted. For example, it highlights Justice Thomas’s failure to recuse himself in cases where his wife, conservative activist Ginni Thomas, had a vested interest. The report alleges that this violates federal law.
In response to the Democrats’ report, Justice Thomas’s friend, Mark Paoletta, addressed the allegations on social media.
He accused Democratic Senators of tarnishing Justice Thomas’s reputation and attacking the court, which currently holds a six-to-three conservative majority.
Earlier this year, in June, Republican senators blocked a Democrat-backed bill aimed at establishing an enforcement mechanism for ethics violations within the court, known as the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act.
Upon taking the majority in the Senate in January, Republicans will have control of both chambers of Congress, potentially impacting future legislative actions.
