AOC Demand Answers from Chief Justice Roberts Amid Deepening Supreme Court Ethics Crisis

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Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Vice Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, joined Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, in a decisive move to address allegations of ethical misconduct within the U.S. Supreme Court. The legislators sent a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts, urging transparency and action in investigating serious claims against conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

The letter highlights a growing “ethics crisis” that, according to Raskin and Ocasio-Cortez, threatens to undermine the Court’s legitimacy. They emphasized Chief Justice Roberts’ previous assurances that Supreme Court Justices adhere to high ethical standards, which recent investigations have called into question.

“We write with alarm about the deepening ethics crisis at the Supreme Court of the United States, which is turning into a full-blown legitimacy crisis. You have repeatedly asked Congress and the American people to trust Justices of the Supreme Court to police their own conduct, assuring us that ‘[e]very Justice seeks to follow high ethical standards . . . and is committed to the common interest in preserving the Court’s vital role as an impartial tribunal governed by the rule of law.’ Yet, over the past year, revelations by investigative reporters and Senate investigators have established that certain Justices have abused that trust,” wrote Raskin and Ocasio-Cortez.

The letter calls into question the steps, if any, that Chief Justice Roberts is taking to address these ethical concerns. Specifically, it addresses allegations of partisan activity and failure to disclose gifts and trips, highlighting recent reports about Justice Clarence Thomas. Thomas has been accused of failing to disclose numerous luxury trips funded by billionaire activist Harlan Crow, totaling an estimated $2.4 million in gifts over two decades.

Additionally, the letter points to Justice Samuel Alito’s and Justice Thomas’ refusal to recuse themselves from cases related to the January 6, 2021, insurrection and the “Stop the Steal” movement. This refusal, combined with Justice Alito’s alleged display of partisan symbols, has raised significant concerns about conflicts of interest and impartiality within the Court.

Last month, it was reported that Justice Alito and his spouse flew an upside-down American flag outside their residence between the Capitol insurrection and President Biden’s inauguration, symbolizing support for the “Stop the Steal” movement. Further reports suggest Justice Alito has engaged in other partisan activities, undermining public confidence in his impartiality.

Justice Thomas’ ties to the “Stop the Steal” movement have also been scrutinized due to his wife Ginni Thomas’ involvement in the campaign and her attendance at the January 6 rally. Ginni Thomas’ strategic discussions with Trump’s chief of staff regarding overturning the 2020 election results suggest a conflict of interest for Justice Thomas in related Supreme Court cases.

“While the Judicial Conference and the Supreme Court both have the ability and, in certain circumstances, a statutory obligation, to investigate potential ethical violations by Justices of the Supreme Court, these revelations, which call into question both the integrity and impartiality of two sitting Supreme Court Justices, came only as a result of the diligent work of the press and Congress. . . . We are therefore writing to you in your double role as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and presiding officer of the Judicial Conference, to understand what efforts, if any, the Court and the Conference have undertaken in light of the allegations of serious ethical violations by Justices raised by these reports,” Raskin and Ocasio-Cortez added.

This letter follows a roundtable discussion led by Raskin and Ocasio-Cortez on June 11, 2024, titled “High Court, Low Standards, and Dark Money: Flagging a Supreme Ethics Crisis in America,” where Committee Democrats examined the extent of private and public corruption within the Supreme Court.

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