Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) on Thursday called for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to be impeached later bombshell report revealed that he had taken luxury trips paid for by Republican megadonors for decades and did not disclose them.
“This transcends party or partisanship,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “The level of corruption is appalling – almost cartoonish. Thomas should be charged.”
The New York City Congressman responded a ProPublica’s report was published on Friday which provided Thomas’ unknown connection to billionaire GOP donor Harlan Crow. Thomas “has been accepting luxury trips almost every year” from Crow for more than 20 years without reporting it, ProPublica reported, citing travel records and interviews. Thomas’ failure to disclose the trip appeared to violate a law that requires judges, members of Congress and other federal officials to report most gifts, including private jet flights, per ProPublica.
Ocasio-Cortez said that barring dramatic changes, the scandal would define the current conservative-led Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John Roberts.
“This is what the Roberts trial will be known for: rank corruption, the erosion of democracy, and the elimination of human rights,” he tweeted.
This isn’t the first time Ocasio-Cortez has said it’s time for Thomas to go. Last year, he called her to resign or face impeachment about his wife’s involvement in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. He also said that he and several other conservative Supreme Court justices who struck down federal abortion protections last year should do so. accused of “perjury” during the confirmation hearing.
Progressive judicial groups also demanded congressional action in response to the report. Brian Fallon of Justice Request called for a Senate hearing about Thomas’ “illegal and unethical conduct”. Gabe Roth of Fix the Court said Thomas’ behavior underscores that Supreme Court “is the most responsible part of our government” and requires stricter gift and travel rules.
“The Senate Judiciary Committee, and Chairman Dick Durbin, must act immediately to investigate the ethics violations reported by Clarence Thomas, and quickly hold a hearing and vote on the Ethics, Transparency, and Supreme Court Act,” said Meagan Hatcher-Mays of Ora divisible, non-profit progressive social movement.
“The American people want to believe that the Court is fair, that the judges are acting ethically, and that their decisions are free from undue political influence,” he said, “and the only way this can happen is if Congress takes action to prevent unethical judges. who is responsible.”
Durbin said in a statement that Thomas’ reported behavior was “simply inconsistent with the ethical standards that the American people expect of public officials, let alone a Justice on the Supreme Court.” But he was not clear about what he would do.
“The ProPublica report is a call to action, and the Senate Judiciary Committee will act,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Durbin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what action, exactly, the Judiciary Committee chairman will take.