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.
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."
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. 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.
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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