DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion: Credibility is the key at Trump trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

The idea that Cohen talked to Trump about Daniels on that call “was a lie,” Blanche alleged. Moreover, my experience has been that juries don’t decide based upon one moment — they base their judgment on an overall view.”There were allegedly three parties aware of the scheme to conceal the real reason Trump paid Cohen more than $400,000 in supposed legal fees: Trump, Cohen and Allen Weisselberg, then-chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. “Weisselberg could be the linchpin to validate Cohen’s claims about Trump agreeing to reimburse him through Trump Organization, as a business expense,” wrote attorney Stacy Schneider. Trump seems to be tempted to go mano a mano and show that he is better fit to be commander-in-chief. The new requirement for GOP politicians wanting to demonstrate their loyalty to Trump seems to be visiting the Manhattan courthouse where he’s on trial.

Persons: CNN —, ” Mark Twain, “, Twain, ” Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, —, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Norm Eisen, Blanche, ”, pummeled Cohen, Robert Mueller, Nick Anderson, Agency Cohen, Keith Schiller, Daniels, ” Blanche, ” Eisen, don’t, Allen Weisselberg, Stacy Schneider, Weisselberg, David Zurawik, “ I’ve, Sen, Robert Menendez, He’s, George Santos ., CNN “ It’s, he’s, ‘, Henry Cuellar, ” Cupp, Drew Sheneman, Georgia —, Vladimir Putin’s, Frida Ghitis, ” Ghitis, Joe Biden’s, ” Dana Summers, “ Biden, ” Julian Zelizer, mano, Biden, ” Bill Bramhall, Stephanie Griffith, Howard Tucker, Gayle Fleming, Michael Ventura Gayle Fleming, Biden —, ” Tom Brady’s, Kara Alaimo, Tom Brady “, Kevin Hart, Gisele Bündchen, Brady, Benjamin, Vivian, ’ Brady, ’, Alaimo, Brady didn’t, Nafees Syed, Kamel El Hilali, Andrew Borene, freakout Scott Stantis, Jeff Yang, … ” Brown, Keith Magee, Brown, backpedaling, Forget, Doug Burgum, Scott Jennings, Burgum’s, Bill Bramhall, Content Agency Clarence Thomas Washington, Clarence Thomas ’, Dean Obeidallah, Thomas, Harlan Crow, ” Clay Jones, John Oliver’s, Steve Vladeck, “ Thomas, ” Don’t, Clayton Swope, Dan Perry, Netanyahu, Jill Filipovic, Miss Teen USA Mary Ziegler, Bob Kolasky, Megan L, Ranney, Karen Tang, Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, Jonathan Yeo, King Charles III, Aaron Chown, Holly Thomas, King Organizations: CNN, Trump, Tribune, Agency, Trump Organization, Twitter, Facebook, DC, Robert Menendez of New, GOP, ” Texas, White, Europe, Russia, Kyiv, Biden, ABC, Democratic Party, Netflix, Garden State, Content Agency, Capitol, Consumer Financial, Board, Fifth Circuit, ICC, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Buckingham Palace, Royal Locations: New York, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Russian, Ukraine, Slovakia, Georgia, Soviet Republic, United States, Cleveland, “, Manhattan, North, . North Dakota, ” That’s, Louisiana , Mississippi, Texas, Florida’s, Buckingham

☆ Senate Judiciary authorizes subpoenas of Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo in Supreme Court ethics probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Frank Thorp V | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Harlan Crow, chairman and chief executive officer of Crow Holdings LLC, sits for a photograph at the Old Parkland estate offices in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to approve subpoenas for conservative activist Leonard Leo and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow in its Supreme Court ethics probe. Ahead of the meeting, Durbin told reporters that Republicans had filed 177 amendments, which would have taken hours to go through. Before the vote on the subpoenas, the meeting devolved into partisan bickering after Democrats tried to block Republicans from debating a nominee the panel was considering. "Congratulations on destroying the United States Senate Judiciary Committee," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said to Durbin after Republicans then refused to vote on the subpoenas.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Sen, Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn Organizations: Crow Holdings LLC, GOP, Democratic, Republican, NBC News, United States, Committee Locations: Parkland, Dallas , Texas, U.S, Texas

☆ Senate Democrats subpoena Harlan Crow, escalating probe of GOP megadonor's relationship with Justice Clarence Thomas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Senate Democrats pushed forward on a subpoena of Harlan Crow. The GOP megadonor has been at the center of ethics concerns regarding Justice Clarence Thomas. Republican senators previously filed 177 amendments to the subpoena authorization, including a subpoena of Jeffrey Epstein's estate for his private flight logs. Crow has been in the news for months related to his friendship to Justice Clarence Thomas. ProPublica uncovered numerous trips and gifts Crow lavished on the justice and his family, which Thomas often did not list on his financial disclosure.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, —, Leonard Leo, Dick Durbin, Jeffrey Epstein's, Sen, John Cornyn, Durbin, Lindsey Graham, Graham, Crow, Leo, ProPublica, Crow lavished, Thomas, Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Alito Organizations: GOP, Service, Durbin, United States Senate, Texas Republican, Republican, Supreme Court, Courthouse News Locations: Texas

☆ Supreme Court adopts ethics code as justices face criticism over financial disclosures
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Supreme Court announced Monday it is adopting a code of ethics, a move that followed waves of criticism over reports about undisclosed gifts and travel received by some members of the high court. The 14-page code of conduct was written to "dispel" the "misunderstanding" that the court's nine justices "regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules," the court said in a statement. It was not immediately clear whether the code would mollify Senate Democrats who had pushed the court for ethics reform and launched an investigation in the wake of the reporting. Spokespeople for Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Senate Budget Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the new code. Republicans in Congress have vehemently objected to any effort to require the court to codify ethics standards for justices.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, ProPublica, Harlan Crow, Crow, Thomas, Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Leonard Leo, Spokespeople, Dick Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, pushback, GOP Sen, Marsha Blackburn Organizations: Supreme, Republican, Congress, GOP, Tennessee Locations: Washington , DC, Georgia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats said Monday they plan to subpoena Republican megadonor Harlan Crow and conservative activist Leonard Leo for more information about their roles in organizing and paying for luxury travel for Supreme Court justices. The announcement by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as the court is being pressed to adopt an ethics code, a move that has been publicly endorsed by three of the nine justices. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesArkley and Leo have refused to cooperate with the committee's investigation of the justices' largely undisclosed private travel, the committee said. In a statement after Durbin’s announcement, Crow’s office called the subpoena politically motivated and said Crow had offered information to the committee. “It’s clear this is nothing more than a stunt aimed at undermining a sitting Supreme Court Justice for ideological and political purposes,” the statement said.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Sen, Dick Durbin, Crow, Leo, Robin Arkley II, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Donald Trump, Arkley, Samuel Alito, Crow “, ” Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, “, Anthony Welters Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Federalist Society, Republicans, Committee, Senate Finance Locations: Georgia, Alaska

☆ Cornel West draws max donation from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Katherine Doyle | Katherine Doyle Is A White House Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Progressive activist and independent presidential candidate Cornel West received a maximum campaign donation from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, West's latest fundraising report shows. Crow made the $3,300 donation in August, weeks before West abandoned his bid for the Green Party nomination to run as an independent. Almost 15% of registered voters said they would vote for a third party or independent candidate when given the explicit choice in an NBC News poll last month. By comparison, less than 2% of voters in 2020 cast a ballot for a candidate other than Biden or Trump. Federal election filings show real estate developer Crow gave to Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie in the last quarter, as well as to GOP members of the Senate and House.

Persons: Cornel West, Harlan Crow, Crow, West, ”, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Crow’s, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Republican, Green Party, Princeton University, NBC, Biden, Trump, Supreme, House Locations: Texas, Dallas

☆ Harlan Crow, the GOP megadonor and pal to Clarence Thomas, maxed out his campaign donation to a self-described 'non-Marxist socialist' trying to defeat Joe Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Crow, a major player in GOP politics, described West as "a good friend" during a WSJ interview. Justice Thomas faced scrutiny after ProPublica reported that he took luxury trips funded by Crow. AdvertisementAdvertisementBillionaire GOP megadonor Harlan Crow maxed out a donation to Cornel West, the progressive academic and 2024 independent presidential candidate, according to the latest FEC filings. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, per NBC News, as several major GOP donors are looking to get behind the strongest challenger to Donald Trump's presidential bid. AdvertisementAdvertisementTrump currently remains the favorite to capture the GOP presidential nomination, as he maintains sizable leads in national surveys and most statewide primary polling.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Cornel West's, Justice Thomas, ProPublica, —, Cornel West, Crow, Joe Biden's, We've, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, didn't, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump's Organizations: Crow, Service, West, Green Party, Marxist, Wall, Princeton University, Harvard University, Democratic Party, Republican, Press, Motown, Gov, NBC, GOP Locations: Silicon Valley, Florida, South Carolina

☆ ProPublica: Clarence Thomas attended Koch network donor events
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Ariane De Vogue | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Justice Clarence Thomas attended a private dinner in 2018 during a winter donor summit of the Koch network, the political organization founded by libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch, ProPublica reported Friday. Thomas attended Koch donor events at least twice over the years, according to interviews with three former Koch network employees and one major donor conducted by ProPublica. Thomas arrived for the 2018 dinner on a Gulfstream G200 jet, although a Koch network spokesperson told the outlet that the network did not pay for the private jet and it was not disclosed on his financial disclosure forms for that year. A spokesperson for the Koch network told ProPublica that Thomas wasn’t present for fundraising conversations. CNN has reached out to the Supreme Court for comment.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Koch, Charles, David Koch, ProPublica, Thomas, ”, Thomas ’, Thomas wasn’t, ” Thomas, Loper, Raimondo, Critics, Clarence Thomas ’, Charles Koch, Harlan Crow, Lisa Graves, Crow Organizations: Washington CNN —, Koch, ProPublica, Gulfstream G200, CNN, Loper Bright Enterprises, Inc, Conservatives, Chevron, Natural Resources Defense, True, Research, GOP Locations: Congress, Washington

CLEVELAND (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh told a judicial conference on Thursday he hopes there will be “concrete steps soon” to address recent ethics concerns surrounding the court, but he stopped short of addressing calls for justices to institute an official code of conduct. We’re working on that,” Kavanaugh told the conference attended by judges, attorneys and other court personnel in Ohio. He said all nine justices recognize that public confidence in the court is important, particularly now. Kavanaugh, 58, is one of three justices nominated by former President Donald Trump who have reshaped the court in recent years. Kavanaugh took questions from Jeffrey Sutton and Stephanie Dawkins Davis, chief judge and judge, respectively, of the 6th U.S.

Persons: Brett Kavanaugh, ”, ” Kavanaugh, Roe, Wade, “, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Kavanaugh, Donald Trump, Dobbs, Jeffrey Sutton, Stephanie Dawkins Davis, They’re Organizations: CLEVELAND, —, Republican, Associated Press, AP, U.S, Circuit Locations: Ohio, America, Alaska, Alabama

☆ Clarence Thomas says he flew on private jets because of safety concerns after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade leaked
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Clarence Thomas claims that he needed to use private jets in the wake of the Dobbs decision leak. Thomas' use of private jets and acceptance of lavish trips has received significant scrutiny. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Protestors later marched by the conservative justices' homes in the DC area following the leak and later the Supreme Court's final opinion that reversed Roe v. Wade. In the face of criticism, Thomas has argued that he did nothing wrong by failing to previously report his trips with Crow and others.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Dobbs, Thomas, Harlan Crow, Samuel Alito's, John Roberts, Roe, Brett Kavanaugh, Crow, filer Organizations: Service, Administrative, Congressional, Wade, Supreme, Judicial Locations: Wall, Silicon

CNN —Justice Clarence Thomas disclosed Thursday that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow paid for private jet trips for Thomas in 2022 to attend a speech in Texas and a vacation at Crow’s luxurious New York estate, as ethics questions continue to rock the Supreme Court. Thomas made the disclosures after receiving an extension to file the yearly reports that were originally due in May 2023. In a statement after the ProPublica report, Thomas acknowledged the friendship but stressed that Crow did not have business before the court. In addition, he said that he should have disclosed a 2014 private real estate deal between Crow, Thomas and members of Thomas’ family. According to the disclosure, Thomas flew down to be the keynote speaker of the event in February, but returned via private jet “due to an unexpected ice storm.”The talk was rescheduled in May and Thomas rode round trip on Crow’s plane.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Dobbs, Roe, Wade, “, Crow, Samuel Alito, ProPublica, Thomas ’, ” Thomas, Virginia Thomas, Leola Williams, Williams, VII, –, Elliot S, Berke, Thomas “, ”, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chip Somodevilla, Elena Kagan, Alito, ” Alito, Gabe Roth, he’s, ” Roth, Rome Alito, Duke Organizations: CNN, Republican, Judicial Conference, Old Parkland Conference, Hoover Institution, Manhattan Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Black Americans, Crow Holdings, Democrats, Supreme, Capitol, Rhode Island, Wall Street, Notre Dame, School’s, Liberty Initiative, Religious Liberty Summit, Regent University School of Law, Duke Law School Locations: Texas, New York, Georgia, Savannah , Georgia, Washington ,, Rome

☆ Clarence Thomas Supreme Court financial disclosure shows flights paid for by GOP megadonor
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is seen in his chambers at the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S. June 6, 2016. Jonathan Ernst | ReutersSupreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Republican megadonor Harlan Crow paid for his travel expenses and meals on at least three occasions last year, according to the justice's new financial disclosure report released Thursday. Crow flew Thomas back to Dallas in May of that year for the same purpose, according to the filing. Crow also paid for Thomas' flights to and from the Adirondack Mountains by private plane over a week in mid-July 2022. Thomas' report said that the flights and "lodging, food, and entertainment at the Adirondacks property" were reported in compliance with updated guidance from the Judicial Conference of the United States.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Jonathan Ernst, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Crow, ProPublica, Topridge Organizations: Supreme, U.S, Reuters, Republican, American Enterprise Institute ., Dallas, Judicial Conference Locations: Washington , U.S, Dallas, Adirondacks, United States

☆ Harlan Crow appears throughout Clarence Thomas' 2022 financial disclosure after the Supreme Court justice never mentions gifts and vacations for years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Madison Hall | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Justice Clarence Thomas disclosed multiple times Harlan Crow paid for his flights in 2022. Thomas' disclosure comes after reports raised questions about Thomas' relationship with Crow. It's partially notable that Thomas' 2022 form discloses how GOP megadonor Harlan Crow gave the justice flights, meals, and lodging as the justice appeared at events around the country. In the 2022 disclosure, Thomas noted that Crow reimbursed him on three occasions in 2022 for speaking at the American Enterprise Institute, or as a "guest of source." "It blows my mind that people assume that because Clarence Thomas has friends, that those friends have an angle."

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Crow, ProPublica, Roe, Wade, Samuel Alito, —, filer Organizations: Service, American Enterprise Institute, Dallas Morning News Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Justice Amy Coney Barrett arranged for someone to sing songs from 'Hamilton' at Ketanji Brown Jackson's welcome party
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said she threw a welcome party for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Barrett told a judicial conference that she arranged for someone to sing "Hamilton" tunes at the bash, CNN reported. Jackson made history last year when she became the first Black woman Supreme Court justice. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Since Barrett's elevation to the high court, the Supreme Court has been rocked by high-profile ethics issues involving members of the court, which was not specfically brought up during the talk.

Persons: Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Barrett, Hamilton, Jackson, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Joe Biden, Barrett —, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, —, I've, Donald Trump, specfically, Clarence Thomas, ProPublica, megadonor Harlan Crow, Thomas, Samuel Alito Organizations: Justice, CNN, Service, Associated Press, Appeals, Circuit, Senate, Democrats Locations: Wall, Silicon, Wisconsin

☆ Justice Elena Kagan publicly contradicts Alito, says Congress can pass SCOTUS ethics reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Justice Elena Kagan appeared to publicly contradict Justice Samuel Alito on congressional power. Alito previously suggested Congress doesn't have the power to regulate the Supreme Court. Kagan, an Obama appointee, said there are clearly examples of Congress' ability to regulate the court. "Of course, Congress can regulate various aspects of what the Supreme Court does," she said. "Congress funds the Supreme Court.

Persons: Elena Kagan, Samuel Alito, Alito, doesn't, We're, Kagan, Samuel Alito's, George W, Bush, John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Paul Singer, Roberts, we've Organizations: Service, Circuit Judicial, Politico, Wall, Washington Post, Republicans, Democrat, Committee, Journal, CNN Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Supreme Court: John Roberts can't get an ethics code. Samuel Alito's interview shows why
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When the Supreme Court left for its summer recess in June, the justices were at a stalemate on adopting a formal ethics code. Chief Justice John Roberts has been seeking unanimity among the nine justices for firm ethics standards, CNN has learned, but such agreement has eluded him. He told the WSJ writers that he was speaking out to defend himself and the Supreme Court because “nobody else” would. “Even assuming that trip is somehow relevant to present concerns about Supreme Court ethics, the connection is highly attenuated, focused on ‘an object remote’ from purported ‘legitimate concerns’ about ethics standards,” Rivkin wrote. A separate Associated Press investigation recently focused on liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s use of Supreme Court staff to coordinate and promote the sale of her books.

Persons: John Roberts, Samuel Alito’s, Alito, “, ”, ” Alito, David B, Rivkin Jr, Rivkin, Leonard Leo, Brett Kavanaugh, Leo, – Alito, Paul Singer, Singer, ” Rivkin, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Crow, Thomas ’, Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor’s, ’, Roberts, Sen, Murphy, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, ” Murphy Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Supreme, WSJ, Republicans, Wall Street Journal, Federalist Society, Democrats, Republican, Associated Press, Congress, House, CNN’s Locations: Alaska, Georgia, CNN’s “ State, Connecticut

☆ Harlan Crow's jaunts on his yacht with Justice Clarence Thomas were a 'textbook billionaire tax scam,' Sen. Ron Wyden tells ProPublica
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Justice Clarence Thomas and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow's yacht trips have come under scrutiny again. Per ProPublica, Crow registered his yacht as a charter vessel but only took close friends on trips. As a result, he could pay his own company, report losses, and save on his tax bill, per ProPublica. Some of those were trips aboard Crow's yacht, the Michaela Rose, and were organized through Rochelle Charter, a company registered to charter the yacht. In April, Crow and Thomas first faced scrutiny related to the 20 years worth of undisclosed trips Crow is accused of gifting to Thomas, per ProPublica.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Harlan, Per, Crow, Thomas, Michaela Rose, Ron Wyden, ProPublica, gifting, Thomas —, — Organizations: Service, Privacy, ProPublica, Dallas Morning News, Democrats Locations: Wall, Silicon, Rochelle

☆ The elite Horatio Alger Association, which counts Clarence Thomas among its members, has repeatedly been given unusual access to the Supreme Court's courtroom: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Clarence Thomas' membership in the Horatio Alger Association gives it rare access, per the Times. The elite group welcomed Thomas into the fold after his stormy Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Thomas soon became a member of the Horatio Alger Association himself and cherished his ability to speak with students and mentor scholarship recipients. "They really treated him like a brother, like he mattered and, in return, he opened up the Supreme Court," Williams added. Thomas hosts the induction ceremony in the Supreme Court courtroom, where roughly 10 new individuals are welcomed into the elite organization.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Horatio Alger, Thomas, Anita Hill, Thomas —, District of Columbia Circuit —, Horatio, Ginni, Armstrong Williams, Williams, Tom Selleck, Lou Dobbs, —, Anthony Hutcherson, ProPublica, megadonor Harlan Crow Organizations: Horatio, Times, Service, Commission, Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, Distinguished, The New York Times, Horatio Alger Association, Judicial Conference Locations: Wall, Silicon, Virginia, Washington , DC, United States

☆ Dick Durbin slams Roberts for failing to make sure SCOTUS doesn't have the 'lowest ethical standards'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin slammed Chief Justice John Roberts for failing to impose stronger ethical requirements. Durbin, who chairs the powerful Judiciary Committee, vowed his panel will move forward on proposals. The Judiciary Committee, Durbin added, will continue with its previously announced plans to consider legislation that would impose greater ethical requirements on the high court after lawmakers return to Washington following their July 4th holiday recess. "The highest court in the land should not have the lowest ethical standards." Critics of the court seized on the reporting about ethical concerns also a way to further question its legitimacy.

Persons: Democratic Sen, Dick Durbin, John Roberts, Durbin, —, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Roberts, Joe Biden's, Neil Gorsuch, ProPublica, Thomas, Harlan Crow, Crow, Alito, Paul Singer, Singer Organizations: Democratic, Committee, Service, Republicans, GOP Locations: Washington

☆ A federal judge once on the shortlist for the Supreme Court defended Clarence Thomas over the justice's relationship with billionaire Harlan Crow: 'Judges are just like every other human being'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Judge Amul Thapar in his new book defended Clarence Thomas' relationship with megadonor Harlan Crow. Thapar told CNN that judges "have a diverse group of friends, and those friends don't influence the way we do our job." "Judges are just like every other human being," Thapar told the network. And while speaking with CNN, Thapar also suggested that media reports about Thomas didn't always offer a clear picture of the longtime Supreme Court justice. "You can judge their works, and what they do, against what they've done in the past," Thapar told the network.

Persons: Amul Thapar, Clarence Thomas, megadonor Harlan Crow, Thapar, Thomas, —, Harlan Crow, Thomas didn't, Crow, Donald Trump —, ProPublica, Harlan, Kathy Crow Organizations: CNN, Crow, Service, United States, Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Judicial Conference Locations: United States

☆ Ron DeSantis is drawing from the Trump Supreme Court playbook
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —When Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas appeared for the first time before the Florida Federalist Society in January 2020, Florida Gov. Some of DeSantis’ state court appointees became Trump federal court appointees, and their entire approach to the bench is fueled by Federalist Society figures like Leo. WaPo: Supreme Court justice's wife received thousands in 'hidden payments' 01:49 - Source: CNNUsing the Trump playbookBy using Leo for advice on state judicial appointments, DeSantis already is following a Trump playbook. He has filled a majority of the seats on the seven-member Florida Supreme Court, some twice over. Midway through his term, he wrote on Twitter, “The Supreme Court was one of the main reasons I got elected President.”

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Ron DeSantis, Thomas, Leonard Leo, Leo, Donald Trump’s, DeSantis, “, ” Leo, Ginni Thomas, ”, ProPublica’s, Thomas ’, Harlan Crow, Octavio Jones, Roe, Wade, Sullivan, Don McGahn, Gregory Katsas, Trump, ” DeSantis, ” Thomas, Katsas, WaPo, DeSantis ’, Jesse Panuccio, ” Panuccio, Barbara Lagoa, Robert Luck, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Lagoa, Amy Coney Barrett, “ I’ve, Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Barack Obama’s, Antonin Scalia Organizations: CNN, Florida Federalist Society, Florida Gov, Disney, Federalist Society, White, Harvard Law School, Politico, Representatives, Trump White House, Republican, Trump, Republicans, DeSantis, Tampa Bay Times, Zuma Press, GOP, New York Times, US, DC Circuit, Gov, Orlando Federalist Society, Appeals, Circuit, Florida Supreme, Twitter Locations: Florida, Iowa, ’, Washington, Georgia, America, New Hampshire

☆ Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the rare lone dissenter in a union strike ruling that involved drivers walking off the job with trucks full of wet concrete
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Lauren Steussy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Supreme Court struck down a ruling over what union members can reasonably do during a strike. A local teamsters union in Washington walked off the job in 2017 with trucks full of wet concrete. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only dissenter, saying the decision jeopardizes union rights. The solo dissent was a first for the outspoken Biden-appointed justice, who wrote that the ruling would "erode the right to strike." "Workers are not indentured servants, bound to continue laboring until any planned work stoppage would be as painless as possible for their master," Jackson wrote.

Persons: Ketanji Brown Jackson, —, Biden, Jackson, Amy Coney Barrett, Barrett, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Samuel Alito, haven't shied, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Andy Warhol, Kagan Organizations: teamsters, Service, Washington Supreme, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Teamsters, Workers, GOP Locations: Washington, Northwest

☆ GOP megadonor Harlan Crow says he doesn't understand the Supreme Court enough to talk law with Clarence Thomas. He says they chat about Motown.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The GOP megadonor said he knows too little about the law to discuss Supreme Court cases with Thomas. He told The Atlantic he isn't a "law guy" and instead chats with Thomas about Motown and sports. But in an interview with The Atlantic, Crow brushed off any accusations of corruption or impropriety with an unusual defense — his ignorance. Being friends means that "work-related issues" do occasionally come up in conversation, Crow told The Atlantic. Those conversations were casual and not about jurisprudence, he said, with Crow describing the discussion of specific Supreme Court cases as "off limits."

☆ Harlan Crow says he's 'put away' his controversial Hitler paintings, even though he insists there's nothing wrong with displaying them
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Harlan Crow said he has "put away" his two controversial Adolf Hitler paintings. Crow insisted it's obvious that Nazis are bad, even though others might misunderstand his intentions in displaying Hitler's artwork, The Atlantic reported. Crow thought that Hitler's teapot and table linens, two more items in Crow's collection of memorabilia, remained on display, The Atlantic reported. They were replaced with a note that read "not to commemorate, but to remember, in hopes that it may never happen again," The Atlantic reported. After checking in another case that turned up empty, The Atlantic reported that Crow said, "I didn't know that.

☆ Clarence Thomas's first public scandal came in 1980, when he was a no-name aide to a GOP senator and complained to a journalist that his sister just waited by the mailbox for her welfare check
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In 1980, 32-year-old Clarence Thomas was a no-name aide to a Republican senator. At a conference for Black conservatives, he complained to a journalist about his sister being on welfare. The journalist, Juan Williams, wrote a column about it that caught the attention of Reagan's team. "She gets mad when the mailman is late with her welfare check," Thomas said, according to Williams. Reagan ended up making massive cuts to welfare programs and allowing states to institute work requirements for welfare recipients.

Search resuls for: "megadonor Harlan Crow"

25 mentions found