Senate Democrats ask Garland to name special counsel to investigate Clarence Thomas
Source: CBS news
By Melissa Quinn July 9, 2024 / 2:54 PM EDT
Washington A pair of Senate Democrats have asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to look into whether Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas violated any federal tax or ethics laws when he accepted travel and lodging from wealthy benefactors.
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Ron Wyden of Oregon told Garland in a letter dated July 3 and made public Tuesday that Senate investigations and public reporting have revealed evidence of allegedly "repeated and willful" omissions of gifts and income from Thomas' annual financial disclosure reports.
The two Democrats claimed that the extent of the justice's potential ethics violations exceeds conduct from other federal officials who have been investigated by the Justice Department for similar actions.
"Appointment of a special counsel would serve the public interest," Whitehouse and Wyden wrote in their letter. "The public must have confidence that the judiciary and the Department of Justice execute their responsibilities fairly, impartially, and without respect to political expedience or partisan interests."
Senate Democrats have been investigating ethics practices at the Supreme Court in the wake of news articles detailing travel Thomas accepted from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, which he did not disclose on his financial reports.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/clarence-thomas-special-counsel-senate-democrats-merrick-garland/
Link to tweet
Skittles
(157,672 posts)yeah
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,268 posts)FBaggins
(27,422 posts)Thomas isn't part of the executive branch
doc03
(36,450 posts)50 Shades Of Blue
(10,773 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(6,095 posts)This will be regardless of all the proof that is surely out there. The guy is a hack...
slightlv
(4,099 posts)But with both Whitehouse and Wydon on it, I don't think they'll drop it with the swearing in of a new Congress in November. We are just months from the start of making things right, I believe. We have a lot of work to do between now and then to make it so, but I think the Repug moniker is going to be so defamed by November, the Democrats are going to sweep with a tsunami. BUT we have to somehow work around the media and get all the info out to the public so they know the full extent. We can't expect that most people out in the public are in anyway as well informed as we are. What we think as should be a "duh" could easily be news (and untrusted, at that) to those who are low info voters. Look at what the Rs got away with in 2016! I've talked to people who are appalled they gave their vote to trump, after learning some of this stuff since that election. One would think after all that has come to pass with trials, etc., there wouldn't be a dummy out there... but they exist even still. (sigh)
Scrivener7
(52,260 posts)GB_RN
(3,054 posts)Its not a question of did he or did he not. Plain and simple, he did. He has knowingly done so for decades: Omitting his wifes 🤮income on mandatory reports, claiming he didnt know he had to - when hed been on the court for 20+ years at that time? Knowingly omitting the gifts that the fat-cat, Reichwing douchebags have given him for years?
The fucker cant claim he didnt know he had to. At least not credibly. (In)Justice Clarence Uncle Slappy Thomas is straight up, flat out GUILTY. End of story. Put his ass in jail!
Deminpenn
(16,003 posts)to direct DoJ. Biden should use it to tell Garland he must appoint a special counsel to investigate Thomas for his ethical conduct not to mention possible role in Jn 6 through his wife.
Then he needs to direct Garland to appoint special counsels to investigate Alito for ethical lapses, one to investigate Kavanaugh for the sexual assault he committed as well as who paid off his mountain of debt and one to look into Roberts for conflicts of interest in relation to his wife's legal headhunter job.
These justices need to get a taste of what they unleashed with their immunity ruling.
orangecrush
(21,150 posts)That sounds too delicious
Deminpenn
(16,003 posts)has already asked for one. Biden just needs to let Garland know publicly he supports their request. SCOTUS ruled the pres can tell DOJ what to do, it's an official act and no one can question it. Biden could even promise Garland he'll nominate to fill Thomas's seat on the court if the special prosecutor gets Thomas off the court!