Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been under fire after it was revealed that he had taken “luxury trips” from a Republican contributor for over 20 years, prompting a request for his impeachment from New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks follow a ProPublica investigation that revealed wealthy Harlan Crow, a longstanding Republican supporter, “treated Thomas to luxury vacations” that included private jet and yacht trips, as well as stays at a private resort.
This issue transcends political affiliation. This level of corruption is absurd even by cartoon standards. Ocasio-Cortez has called for impeachment of Thomas.
Thomas’s lavish vacations to New Zealand, Indonesia, California, Texas, and Georgia were exposed by the probe. According to his budget filings with the Supreme Court, he did not include the trip, ProPublica said.
Ocasio-Cortez warned that, unless Congress acts, a similar situation might arise in the judicial system. Democrats in the senate are discussing using this year’s Supreme Court spending bill to lobby the court to adopt an ethics code that would mandate public recusal and inquiry procedures.
The New York Democrat predicted that the Roberts Court will be remembered for “rank corruption,” “eroding democracy,” and “stripping human rights” unless something drastic changed.
Various legislators have commented on the report’s conclusions. Democratic Senator from Illinois Dick Durbin has promised action by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
It’s unacceptable for the nation’s top court to have the lowest ethical standards, Durbin said on Thursday. This is not the kind of conduct one would expect from a Supreme Court Justice, much less a public worker in general.