A new ProPublica report shows that Clarence Thomas accepted and failed to
report far more luxury travel and vacations from more billionaires than
was previously known.
Our Founders gave Supreme Court justices lifetime appointments with the
intention of ensuring impartiality and insulating the justices from
external political and social pressures. Since then, however, the Court
has become deeply politicized.
Clarence Thomas is not the only one. Far from being insulated from
political and social pressures, several justices have embraced them --
accepting millions of dollars of luxury travel and "gifts" from
billionaires who fund lawsuits or stand to benefit from cases before the
Supreme Court.
This is dangerously incompatible with our nation’s highest ideals. All
political leaders need to know the public wants reform.
[ [link removed] ]Sign if you agree: We must restore the American people’s trust and
confidence in the Supreme Court with reforms such as term limits and
strict ethics rules for Supreme Court justices.
ProPublica:
"A cadre of industry titans and ultra-wealthy executives have treated
[Thomas] to far-flung vacations aboard their yachts, ushered him into the
premium suites at sporting events and sent their private jets to fetch him
-- including, on more than one occasion, an entire 737.
"Like clockwork, Thomas’ leisure activities have been underwritten by
benefactors who share the ideology that drives his jurisprudence. Their
gifts include:
"At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported
voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an
additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to professional and
college sporting events, typically perched in the skybox; two stays at
luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an
uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic coast."
[ [link removed] ]Sign if you agree: Congress must enact meaningful ethics reform for the
Supreme Court.
From overturning Roe v. Wade to rejecting student loan cancellation,
unelected Justices are implementing a partisan agenda that most Americans
strongly oppose. It is anti-democratic, and it needs to end.
The American people's confidence in our democracy has been shaken by this
Court’s ethical lapses and political rulings that go against the will of
the people. Recent polling by the Progressive Change Institute and Data
For Progress show that, by 2 to 1, Americans see this Court as corrupt and
facing a legitimacy crisis. [ [link removed] ]The Court needs reform.
To re-establish the Supreme Court as an impartial, nonpartisan branch of
the federal government, I introduced the Supreme Court Term Limits and
Regular Appointments Act, which would create an 18-year term limit for
justices. Today, justices have an incentive to strategize and plan their
retirements around whichever party holds the White House -- locking in
justices like Clarence Thomas for decades.
In addition, Supreme Court Justices are not held to the same ethics rules
as other federal judges. Perversely, when a judge is elevated to the
highest court in the land, their ethical standards go down.
[ [link removed] ]Sign if you agree: Congress must act to restore the American people’s
trust by passing reforms such as term limits and strict ethics rules for
Supreme Court Justices.
Your signature will help push Congress into action, and make this a
campaign issue. It’s time to get the Supreme Court back on track.
In solidarity,
-- Ro Khanna, Congressman, California’s 17th District
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