End Clarence and Ginni Thomas’ corruption! Pass the SCOTUS Ethics Act.
Petition to Congress:
Recent ethics scandals involving Clarence Thomas and other conservative justices demonstrate that the Supreme Court cannot be trusted to police itself. Congress must pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act to restore faith in this out-of-control, corrupt court.
In the lead up to the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010, Ginni Thomas was plotting to unleash right-wing dark money across America.
Politico just reported that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni, joined up with Federalist Society head and Trump advisor Leonard Leo and GOP mega-donor Harlan Crow (who also funds luxury vacations for Clarence and Ginni) to exploit the ruling before it even happened.1 The organization Ginni and Leo set up before the ruling became a billion dollar force that has helped appoint right-wing judges and overturn long-standing legal precedents on abortion and affirmative action.2
This revelation adds to the lengthy list of Clarence Thomas’ corruption, ethical breaches, and conflicts of interest. Congress must hold Thomas accountable and pass legislation to end corruption on the Supreme Court.
Sign the petition: Congress can and must pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act NOW!
Justice Thomas’ well-documented scandals include his refusal to recuse himself in Trump election cases when Ginni was fighting to overturn the 2020 election results.3 He’s accepted lavish superyacht vacations from Crow without disclosing them. He reported income every year for two decades earned from a company that had already closed down. A health care executive bought Thomas a $270,000 RV — another fancy gift that Thomas kept secret from the public. This list goes on and on.
When we talk about Clarence Thomas ethics issues, we’re not talking about minor, isolated incidents. To describe Thomas’s string of behaviors that likely broke the law, experts and retired judges have used words like INCOMPREHENSIBLE, HIDING, VIOLATION, and CORRODES PUBLIC TRUST.4,5
Thomas is far from alone on the court in his corruption scandals. Justice Samuel Alito also accepted undisclosed luxury gifts and travel from hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer.6 Similar ethics scandals have now emerged about every conservative Supreme Court Justice.
Congress must start restoring faith in our courts and enact this Supreme Court code of conduct NOW.
Sign the petition: It's time to hold Thomas and all conservative justices accountable. Pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act!
Sources:
- Politico, "What Ginni Thomas and Leonard Leo wrought: How a justice’s wife and a key activist started a movement," September 10, 2023.
- Ibid.
- Washington Post, "Virginia Thomas urged White House chief to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 election, texts show," March 24, 2022.
- Pro Publica, "Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire,” April 6, 2023.
- Pro Publica, "Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas. The Justice Didn’t Disclose the Deal,” April 13, 2023.
- Pro Publica, "Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court,” June 20, 2023.