Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing further scrutiny as Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden have written a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, demanding the appointment of a special counsel to investigate possible violations of federal ethics and tax laws. The letter alleges repeated and willful omissions of gifts and income from Justice Thomas's financial disclosure reports, as well as allegations of false statements signed under oath and tax violations. The senators argue that only a special counsel can properly investigate these allegations. This development follows previous allegations of lavish gifts received by Thomas from right-wing billionaires and calls for a mandatory ethics code for the Supreme Court. If the Justice Department does not undertake an investigation, it could further erode public confidence in the Supreme Court as an institution. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, is one of the two Democratic senators calling for the investigation. The request is directed at the Department of Justice (DOJ) [3e7d9f95].
Calls for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have been made due to their alleged unethical behavior and failure to disclose financial information. The resolution on Thomas includes three articles of impeachment, while the resolution on Alito includes two articles. The misdeeds of both justices have been investigated by House Oversight and Senate Finance Committees, and senators have requested a special counsel to investigate Thomas' ethical breaches. The Supreme Court's Code of Conduct has been criticized for being more of a justification of corruption than a prohibition against it. Vice President Kamala Harris has announced new national health and safety standards for hospitals to address the maternal mortality crisis [e3f4116e].
Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden sought the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Justice Thomas. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the impeachment articles would be discarded. Justice Samuel Alito delivered a commencement speech at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, emphasizing the lessons from the U.S. Constitution and the importance of fixed and clear principles in troubled times. He discussed the enduring nature of the Constitution, the difficulty of amending it, and the need to resist the temptation of making hasty and unwise changes. Justice Alito also highlighted the threats to freedom of speech and religious liberty and the importance of standing firm and speaking out. He emphasized the need for judgment, prudence, and engagement in society to make it a better place. The speech concluded with a message of American optimism for the graduates.