Republican senators are expressing strong opposition to a move by their Democratic counterparts to issue subpoenas to Harlan Crow, a prominent GOP donor, and Leonard Leo, a leading conservative activist. These subpoenas, approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, are part of a broader inquiry into whether Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito neglected to report high-end trips funded by these individuals.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who chairs the committee, emphasized that the subpoenas are crucial for establishing a robust code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices. However, this initiative was sharply criticized by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who dismissed the effort as nonsensical.
The controversy centers on allegations that Justices Thomas and Alito did not disclose luxurious vacations sponsored by Crow and Leo. A representative for Harlan Crow denounced the subpoenas as illegal and partisan, despite Crow’s willingness to cooperate with the committee in good faith.
The timing of the committee’s decision is notable, coming just after the Supreme Court introduced its new “Code of Conduct” amid mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and media reports. This self-imposed ethics code was deemed insufficient by Durbin, who advocates for more stringent legislative measures.
Republicans, however, have been critical of the Democrat-sponsored Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency (SCERT) Act, viewing it as an assault on the integrity of the conservative court. They maintain that Supreme Court justices already adhere to an ethical code and argue that congressional intervention would violate the principle of separation of powers.
The subpoena decision has been labeled as mere political posturing by some Republicans, with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., referring to it as “subpoena palooza.” Additionally, Graham challenged his Democratic colleagues to bring the SCERT Act to a vote if they were genuinely committed to addressing the allegations against the Justices, suggesting that the act does not have the necessary support to pass in the Senate.
Graham further criticized the committee’s actions, characterizing the subpoena vote as a farce and accusing the Democrats of steering the committee into disarray.