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☆ Ginni Thomas founded a nonprofit with funding from Harlan Crow weeks ahead of the Citizens United ruling to advance conservative causes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ginni Thomas laid the groundwork for a nonprofit two months before the 2010 Citizens United ruling, Politico reported. The nonprofit was started with the help of Leonard Leo and funding from Harlan Crow. The nonprofit became the start of a "billion-dollar" network that moved money to conservative legal causes. "Ginni really wanted to build an organization and be a movement leader," an unnamed person familiar with the two told Politico. Soloman told Politico.

Persons: Ginni Thomas, Leonard Leo, Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Leo, Ginni, Leonard, Laura Soloman, Soloman Organizations: Politico, Service, Citizens, Liberty, Liberty Central, Liberty Consulting, Judicial, Supreme, Education Locations: Wall, Silicon, Pennsylvania

☆ Analysis: Here’s why many Black people despise Clarence Thomas. (It’s not because he’s a conservative.)
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

CNN —Long before he became a Supreme Court justice, Clarence Thomas told a story at a public gathering that still sounds shocking years later. Justice Clarence Thomas jokes with his clerks in his chambers at the Supreme Court building in Washington in 2016. AP“His entire judicial philosophy is at war with his own biography,” Michael Fletcher, co-author of “Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas,”. “He’s arguably benefited from affirmative action every step of the way.”Thomas has admitted that he was accepted at Yale Law School under an affirmative action policy. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas looks at the displays inside the Pin Point Heritage Museum.

Persons: CNN — Long, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Ronald Reagan, ” Thomas, Diana Walker, Thomas ’, Emma Mae Martin, he’s, Harlan Crow, Crow, ”, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chip Somodevilla, “ fawning, Reagan, John L, Nikki Merritt, Merritt, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Roe, Wade, ” Sen, Alyssa Pointer, Anita Hill’s, Uncle Tom, Thomas “, Juan Williams, “, Armstrong Williams, ” Williams, Amul Thapar, Jonathan Ernst, ” Thomas ’, Thomas doesn’t, they’ve, Thurgood Marshall, ” Michael Fletcher, “ He’s, I’d, Critics, White, Malcolm X, Richard Burkhard, you’ve, pounced, “ Clarence Thomas, Black, ” Tori Otten, ” Otten, ” Juan Williams, Virginia “ Ginni ” Thomas, Trump’s, John Duricka, Williams, — Trump, Booker T, Washington, Marcus Garvey, Obama, ” “ We’ve, –, “ It’s, “ Thomas, Steven Ferdman, Jim Crow, Frederick Douglass, ” Clarence Thomas, nodded, ” Merritt Organizations: CNN, White House, Commission, Texas Republican, Republican, National Bar Association, Democrat, Georgia Senate, Georgia State Capitol, NAACP, Supreme, National Museum of, Thomas Others, Reuters, Yale Law School, Catholic, College of, Cross, AP, Yale, Heritage Museum, Savannah Morning, USA, The, New, Morehouse College, Fox News Channel Studios, Reagan Administration, Bettmann Locations: Storm, Texas, New York, Washington, Memphis, Georgia, handouts, Atlanta, American, America, Cincinnati, Pin, Savannah , Georgia, New Republic, Wisconsin, Arizona, Virginia, Black, China, India, Brazil, New York City

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

☆ When John Roberts wants things done, he acts. What that means for ethics rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Before he became a US appeals court judge in 2003 and a Supreme Court justice in 2005, he was a star appellate advocate at the high court. There may also be limits to the personal capital Roberts wants to put toward a dilemma that lies beyond the consideration of cases. Unlike with judicial pay, which naturally generated support among black-robed colleagues, the ethics issue has defied consensus in Roberts’ ranks. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court – period.”Last month in Portland, Oregon, Kagan also referred to internal differences. “It’s not a secret for me to say that we have been discussing it,” she said, referring to a formal set of ethics rules.

Persons: CNN —, John Roberts, Roberts, George W, Bush, ” Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Crow, Thomas ’, Samuel Alito, “, Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, ”, Roberts ’, Alito, Kagan, It’s Organizations: CNN, White House, ”, Dallas, Democratic, Senate, Republicans Locations: United States, Texas, Adirondacks, Savannah , Georgia, America, Washington , DC, Portland , Oregon

☆ Justice Thomas Reports Private Trips With Harlan Crow
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Abbie Vansickle | More About Abbie Vansickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But Justices Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. requested 90-day extensions, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which collects and publishes the forms. Mr. Crow treated the justice on a series of lavish trips, including flights on his private jet, island-hopping on his superyacht and vacationing at his estate in the Adirondacks. Mr. Crow also bought the justice’s mother’s home in Savannah, Ga., and covered a portion of private school tuition for the justice’s great-nephew, whom he was raising. Other wealthy friends have hosted Justice Thomas, including David L. Sokol, the former heir apparent to Berkshire Hathaway. In the years that followed, Mr. Singer repeatedly had business before the court.

Persons: Thomas, Samuel A, Alito Jr, Thomas’s, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Crow, David L, Berkshire Hathaway, Anthony Welters, underwrote, Prevost, ” Justice Alito, Paul Singer, Singer Organizations: Administrative, U.S . Courts, Sokol, ” Locations: Texas, Savannah , Ga, Berkshire, Washington, Alaska

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

☆ 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

☆ Clarence Thomas' lawyer says a billionaire bought his mom's house because it was in a blighted neighborhood full of junkies and they wanted her to keep living there
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Taylor Berman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Billionaire Harlan Crow bought Clarence Thomas' mom's house — which the justice partly owned — in 2014. The sale was undisclosed, raising questions about the ethics of billionaires secretly doing business with Supreme Court justices. Despite the obvious ethical concerns of a Supreme Court justice doing business with a billionaire, the sale was never disclosed, and only came to light thanks to ProPublica's reporting. "In 2014, Harlan Crow, a longtime friend of Justice and Mrs. Thomas, visited Savannah with Justice Thomas," the statement from Elliot S. Berke reads. "Mr. Crow indicated he wanted to preserve the home for a possible museum and asked his team to review the idea of doing so.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Crow, Justice Thomas, Elliot S, Berke, Mr, he'd, Williams, ProPublica, Berke didn't Organizations: Service, Supreme Locations: Wall, Silicon, Savannah

☆ Justice Thomas Defended Himself Over Ethics Questions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In his disclosure, Thomas addressed his decision to fly on a private jet belonging to the billionaire, Harlan Crow. Thomas said that he had been advised to avoid commercial travel after the leak of the draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating a constitutional right to an abortion. Thomas also defended his past filings, which did not include many of the trips with Crow and other wealthy friends, insisting that he had adhered to all judicial regulations. Unlike other federal judges, Supreme Court justices are not bound by formal ethics rules. Instead they follow what Chief Justice John Roberts has referred to as “ethics principles and practices.”

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Harlan Crow, Roe, Wade, John Roberts, ” Organizations: Crow Locations: Texas

☆ 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

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses during a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas took private jet flights provided by billionaire Texas businessman Harlan Crow, according to a 2022 financial disclosure report made public on Thursday. Thomas listed trips by private jet to Dallas, Texas for a conference and to a property in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. He has faced scrutiny after revelations that he had not disclosed luxury trips paid for by the wealthy benefactor. The Judicial Conference, the policymaking body for the federal judiciary, has tightened its regulations to require disclosure of private jet trips.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Evelyn Hockstein, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Samuel Alito, Alito, Andrew Chung, John Kruzel, Chizu Nomiyama, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Supreme, REUTERS, Rights, Judicial, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Dallas , Texas, New York, Washington

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and House Democrats push Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Clarence Thomas' lavish gifts from billionaires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A group of House Democrats has asked the DOJ to investigate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The letter stated that Thomas should be investigated because of the dozens of gifts he failed to disclose. On Thursday, after ProPublica published its latest report, a chorus of Democrats called on Thomas to resign, according to Politico. 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. The outlet later reported that Crow purchased Thomas' mother's house and allowed her to live there without paying rent.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Garland, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Crow, unearthing, SCOTUS, Jamie Raskin, Hank Johnson, Ted Lieu, Jerry Nadler, Thomas's, gifting, Thomas —, —, Michaela Rose, John Roberts Organizations: House Democrats, DOJ, Service, Supreme, of Justice, GOP, Democrats, Politico, Reps, Dallas Morning News, ProPublica, SCOTUS Locations: Wall, Silicon, Alexandria, Rochelle

☆ US Supreme Court's Clarence Thomas enjoyed array of luxury perks, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Andrew Chung | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses during a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File PhotoAug 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been treated to far more luxury vacations and exclusive perks from wealthy patrons than previously known, news organization ProPublica reported on Thursday, raising more questions about the lack of binding ethical standards at the court. At least twice, the late billionaire businessman Wayne Huizenga sent his personal 737 jet to pick Thomas up and bring him to South Florida, ProPublica reported. Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, the life-tenured justices have no binding ethics code of conduct, though they are subject to certain financial disclosure laws. At an event in May, Roberts said the court is considering steps to "adhere to the highest standards of conduct."

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Evelyn Hockstein, ProPublica, Thomas, Wayne Huizenga, Harlan Crow, Roe, Wade, John Roberts, Samuel Alito recuses, Alito, Roberts, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: Supreme, REUTERS, Democratic, Committee, Judicial Conference, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Florida, Jamaica, South Florida, Dallas, Alaska

☆ Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas took lavish vacations with a billionaire who criticized student-loan forgiveness months before the Supreme Court struck it down, new report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A new ProPublica report found Clarence Thomas has accepted more undisclosed gifts from billionaires. On Thursday, ProPublica released an investigation that revealed new information on the gifts billionaires have given Thomas over the years. Months later, the Supreme Court in June indeed struck down the student-debt relief, with Thomas voting in the majority. Last month, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would create a code of ethics for Supreme Court justices, but it's unlikely the bill will pass under a Republican-controlled House. Can Congress do various things to regulate the Supreme Court?

Persons: Clarence Thomas, David Sokol, Thomas, Justice Alito, ProPublica, Sokol, Joe Biden's, Biden's, Harlan Crow, Sam Alito, Paul Singer, Alito, Elena Kagan, We're Organizations: Service, Nebraska, Berkshire, Supreme, Republican, Street, Liberal Locations: Wall, Silicon, Wyoming, Berkshire Hathaway, Nebraska, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ Justice Clarence Thomas enjoyed more vacations, private flights and perks thanks to wealthy friends, new ProPublica report details
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

These costly trips and travel perks often went unreported on the justice’s financial disclosure forms, ProPublica said in its investigation. Lynne Sladky/APProPublica interviewed more than 100 people, including staff that would have worked some of the trips that Thomas took. Thomas did not respond to ProPublica’s detailed list of questions for its report, nor did Novelly. None of the Thomas benefactors highlighted in the new report appear to have had direct business in front of the Supreme Court, ProPublica said. Thomas intends to amend his financial disclosure forms, a source close to the justice previously told CNN, to at least reflect Crow’s 2014 purchase of Thomas’ mother’s home.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, ProPublica, Harlan Crow, Thomas ’, Crow, “, ” Thomas, David Sokol, Berkshire Hathaway, Wayne Huizenga, Paul “ Tony ” Novelly, Lynne Sladky, Huizenga, Daniel Acker, Getty Images Sokol, ” Sokol, Republican megadonors, he’s, Paul Anthony, Tony, Novelly, Horatio, Jeremy Fogel, ”, Fogel, Horatio Alger, John Roberts, Roberts, Samuel Alito, Thomas ’ mother’s, Anthony Welters, Obama Organizations: CNN, GOP, Blockbuster, Waste Management Inc, NFL, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, US Marshals Service, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Bloomberg, Getty Images, Republican, Horatio Alger, Distinguished, Horatio, Horatio Alger Association, New York Times, The New York Times, Democratic, Times Locations: Florida, Berkshire, Miami, Omaha , Nebraska

☆ Clarence Thomas purchased his luxury RV with the help of a wealthy former healthcare executive: NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas purchased a $267,000 RV with the help of a wealthy friend. A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement to the Times, Welters said he had provided Thomas a loan so he could buy the RV. But Welters refused to say how much money he had lent the Supreme Court justice, nor on what terms. The revelation comes amid a push to impose new ethics requirements on Supreme Court justices.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Anthony Welters, Welters, Barack Obama, Ginni, —, Reagan, Beatrice, Obama, Harlan Crow, Sen, Dick Durbin Organizations: The New York Times, Service, Supreme, New York Times, Times, Historical Society, Illinois Democrat Locations: The, Wall, Silicon, America, Illinois

☆ 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

☆ Alito says Congress lacks authority to regulate US Supreme Court, Wall Street Journal reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said that Congress lacks the power to regulate the court, in an interview published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday a week after Senate Democrats advanced a bill to impose an ethics code. The Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee last week approved the bill, which would mandate a binding code for the court following revelations that some justices - including Alito - had failed to disclose luxury trips funded by wealthy benefactors. "I know this is a controversial view, but I'm willing to say it," Alito said in the interview published in the Journal's opinion section. "No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period." That bill, which cleared the committee on an 11-10 party-line vote, is unlikely to gain the Republican support needed to pass Congress.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Alito, John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas, preemptively, ProPublica, Thomas, Harlan Crow, Sheldon Whitehouse, John Kruzel, Andrew Chung, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell Organizations: Conservative U.S, Supreme, Wall, Democrats, Democratic, Republicans, Republican, Thomson Locations: Alaska

☆ Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito gives a middle finger to Congress: 'No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Madison Hall | Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke to The Wall Street Journal about congressional oversight. "No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court," he said. "Congress did not create the Supreme Court," Alito said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period." "Dear Justice Alito: You're on the Supreme Court in part because Congress expanded the Court to 9 Justices," Lieu tweeted.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Alito, Ted Lieu, Lieu, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, David B, Rivkin, Moore, SCOTUS, Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, Crow, gifting, Thomas, Thomas —, —, ProPublica, Paul Singer Organizations: Wall Street, Service, Democratic, Twitter, GOP, Dallas Morning News, Democrats Locations: Wall, Silicon

Corporate execs and lawyers with business before the Supreme Court mingled with some of the country's most influential jurists. Revelations about Thomas and Crow's relationship have prompted calls in Congress for the Supreme Court to adopt its first-ever binding code of ethics. But as a Supreme Court justice, Kagan is not currently bound by those rules. The Aspen Institute isn't alone in dangling Supreme Court access to lure deep-pocketed donors. Financial support for a public mission flowed one way, and scheduled private time with Supreme Court justices was dispensed in return.

Persons: Meryl Chertoff, Kagan, Michael Chertoff, SCOTUS, Elena Kagan, execs, Brett Kavanaugh, Trump, Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Kathleen Clark, Louis, Clark, Kavanaugh —, Shook, Hardy, Bacon, Tristan Duncan, Peabody, Christina Sullivan, Brian O'Connor, Sandra Day O'Connor, Lakhani, That's, litigator, George W, Bush, Michael Chertoff's, wasn't, he'd, Chertoff, John Roberts, Gabe Roth, Roth, Crow, Rob Schenck, Tom Monaghan, Jay Sekulow, Sidney Powell —, Sonia Sotomayor's, that's Organizations: Service, Aspen Institute, DC, Aspen, Washington University, Peabody Energy, Peabody, Duncan, Speedway, Supreme, Aspen Institute's Justice, Society, Homeland Security, Chertoff, CNN, The New York Times, Historical Society, Trump, Associated Press, University of Colorado Law School Locations: Wall, Silicon, St, Washington, Pakistan, Chertoff, Aspen Institute isn't

☆ A film, websites, and even a Twitter fan account praising Clarence Thomas were all part of a coordinated public relations campaign backed by nonprofit groups tied to a Federalist Society chairman
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But one recent PR campaign has centered on Justice Clarence Thomas, The Washington Post reported. But one more recent campaign was directed at Justice Thomas, who had already spent about three decades on the Court's bench. According to the Post, a nonprofit called the Judicial Education Project paid the lawyer about $300,000 in 2016 for "media projects." "Since his confirmation on October 15, 1991, Justice Thomas has been a stalwart defender of the original meaning of the Constitution." The comment was made years ago in a 2007 biography of Thomas, "Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas."

Persons: Leonard Leo, Clarence Thomas, Leo, Thomas, Anita Hill, Kerry Washington, Wendell Pierce, Mark Paoletta —, Paoletta, HBO's, Len Amato, —, Michael Pack, Ginni Thomas, Harlan Crow, Kentanji Brown, JCN, Leonard Leo's Organizations: Washington Post, Service, The Washington Post, Federalist Society, Post, HBO, Trump White House, Judicial, Project, Politico, Daily, Washington Examiner, Post . Records, CRC, Relations, Advisors, Judicial Crisis, New York Times, Crisis Locations: Wall, Silicon, Virginia, United States, Jackson

☆ Senate panel set to vote on US Supreme Court ethics reform
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - A Senate panel on Thursday was set to debate and vote on Democratic-backed legislation that would mandate a binding ethics code for the U.S. Supreme Court following revelations that some conservative justices have failed to disclose luxury trips and real estate transactions. It would require the justices to adopt a code of conduct as well as create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations. Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court's nine life-tenured justices have no binding ethics code of conduct. The legislation would face long odds to win passage on the Senate floor, where it would need some Republican support to advance. Democratic senators have said these reports show that the court cannot be trusted to police itself.

Persons: Sheldon Whitehouse, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, John Kruzel, Will Dunham Organizations: Democratic, U.S, Republican, Representatives, Dallas, Politico, Thomson Locations: Alaska, Colorado

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