|
Dear John,
Like all U.S. Supreme Court Justices, Clarence Thomas has a lifetime appointment to the bench. However, his presence on the court damages the legitimacy of the court, due to his multiple conflicts of interest and acceptance of luxurious, unreported gifts from multibillionaire cronies over many decades.
In the words of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, “This MAGA-captured Supreme Court feels free to accept lavish gifts and vacations from their powerful, billionaire friends. And these are no ordinary billionaires -- they are ideological extremists who bankroll hard-right MAGA causes and then bring those cases before the same justices they’ve patronized.”
Justice Thomas’ ethical lapses are so serious, he does not belong on the U.S. Supreme Court, yet, short of impeachment, there is no recourse to hold him or any Supreme Court justice accountable. Upon examination, it is clear there are many reasons to support his impeachment.
We cannot tolerate these abuses of power. Justice Thomas has created and concealed clear conflicts of interest. Click here to sign the petition and call for his impeachment.
Justice Thomas has exploited his position of power to subsidize a life of luxury, placing himself deep in the pockets of his ultra-wealthy benefactors. Thomas received potentially millions of dollars in undisclosed gifts over several decades, including cruises on a mega-yacht, international flights on a private jet, and vacations at private resorts.
Recent reporting indicates that billionaire Harlan Crow was only one of many ultra-wealthy patrons happy to keep Justice Thomas in the lap of luxury. Thomas also joined the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, where he found multiple wealthy friends happy to gift him with vacations and VIP sporting event tickets. Thomas has spoken at the association’s annual inauguration and reception, which he even hosted at the Supreme Court. He is listed as an honorary member of their board of directors.
David Sokol, a former Berkshire Hathaway executive, is one of several Horatio Alger members who funded a documentary disputing Anita Hill’s allegations of sexual harassment, as depicted in the HBO film “Confirmation.” The documentary, titled “Created Equal,” presented Thomas “in his own words.” Asked about Thomas’ role with the group, Sokol said Thomas is “a national treasure and a genuine example of the existence of the American dream.”
In blatant repudiation of his ethical obligations, Clarence Thomas has repeatedly failed to recuse himself when he faced clear conflicts of interest, many involving his wife, Ginni Thomas, and her extreme political activities on issues before the court.
Ginni Thomas actively advocated for overturning the 2020 presidential election, appealing to dozens of state legislators and directly to the White House Chief of Staff. Yet Thomas did not recuse himself from Supreme Court cases related to the insurrection, and his was the only dissenting vote against requiring former President Trump to provide subpoenaed White House records (potentially including communications from his wife) to the House Select Committee on the January 6th Attack.
Thomas’ conflicts of interest involving his wife go back many years. In 2017, she worked for an organization that supported Trump’s ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, even as Justice Thomas voted in favor of the ban. In 2012, she was paid to lobby for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act at the same time that Justice Thomas voted to gut it. And back in 2000, she was working with George W. Bush’s transition team when Justice Thomas voted to stop the vote recounts and hand Bush the presidency.
Justice Thomas’ presence on the bench continues to damage the Supreme Court’s credibility. Join the voices calling for the impeachment of Justice Clarence Thomas by adding your name now.
Thank you for helping to restore confidence in the integrity of the Supreme Court.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
|
