Senate Democrats said Monday they plan to subpoena Republican megadonor Harlan Crow and conservative activist Leonard Leo for more information about their roles in organizing and paying for luxury travel for Supreme Court justices.

The announcement by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as the court is being pressed to adopt an ethics code, a move that has been publicly endorsed by three of the nine justices.

The committee could act as soon as next week to authorize Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the panel’s chairman, to issue subpoenas to Crow, Leo and another wealthy donor, Robin Arkley II.

Crow has been identified as a benefactor of Justice Clarence Thomas for more than two decades, paying for nearly annual vacations, purchasing from Thomas and others the Georgia home in which the justice’s mother still lives and helping pay for the private schooling for a relative.

    • @dhork
      link
      English
      1311 months ago

      Oh, my sweet Summer child. These men will never testify, they’re Republicans after all. Subpoenas are for the poor who can’t afford lawyers to fight them.

      Republicans get out of any and all Congressional subpoenas by invoking the magic words “not a valid legislative purpose”.

      • @EmpathicVagrant
        link
        911 months ago

        Did you take this trip purchased by funds tied to your name?

        “I do not recall”

      • TunaCowboy
        link
        011 months ago

        Oh, my sweet Summer child.

        This is such a douchey fucking phrase, certainly you can find a less obnoxious way to condescend.

        • @money_loo
          link
          211 months ago

          This is such a douchey fucking phrase, certainly you can find a less obnoxious way to condescend.

          Bless your heart.

        • crandlecan
          link
          fedilink
          1
          edit-2
          11 months ago

          Those harsh punishments never work and usually backfire. He needs to be able to build towards his future. Taking everything one can brings forth misery. See the rise of Nazi Germany for example! Instead, we need to reach out and listen, cross the bridge 🙏

          • @EmpathicVagrant
            link
            111 months ago

            $8 fine appealed by crandlecan (the can of a cranberry candle).

            Granted. Fine reduced to $2, plus two book deals, a miniseries, and a movie based on defendant - scripts and content will be approved by defendant and allies

  • AutoTL;DRB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    311 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats said Monday they plan to subpoena Republican megadonor Harlan Crow and conservative activist Leonard Leo for more information about their roles in organizing and paying for luxury travel for Supreme Court justices.

    The announcement by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as the court is being pressed to adopt an ethics code, a move that has been publicly endorsed by three of the nine justices.

    The committee could act as soon as next week to authorize Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the panel’s chairman, to issue subpoenas to Crow, Leo and another wealthy donor, Robin Arkley II.

    Leo, a Federalist Society executive who worked with former President Donald Trump to move the court and the rest of the federal judiciary to the right, and Arkley helped arrange and pay for a private jet trip to Alaska for Justice Samuel Alito in 2008.

    Crow “offered to produce certain limited information that fell well short of what the Committee needs and to which it is entitled,” Durbin and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said in a joint statement.

    The bill would set ethics rules for the court and a process to enforce them, including new standards for transparency around recusals, gifts and potential conflicts of interest.


    The original article contains 427 words, the summary contains 208 words. Saved 51%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • @HeyThisIsntTheYMCA
    link
    English
    211 months ago

    If bribery is still a crime, don’t expect a lot of answers