U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Northern Virginia today called for the resignation of United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas:
“If true, the reported existence of a hidden financial relationship between a conservative donor and a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is inexcusable and unacceptable.
“Today the Supreme Court faces a crisis of public confidence, a crisis Justice Thomas helped create with corrupt behavior. Faced time and again with the choice to take the ethical high road by recusing himself from cases in which he had obvious conflicts of interest – including cases related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election which he heard as his wife secretly worked to advance that effort – Justice Thomas has consistently failed to do the right thing.
“This month we learned that a wealthy ‘Republican megadonor’ financed a lavish lifestyle for Justice Thomas for decades, funding travel and perks which Thomas confirmed this week after failing to disclose them for years. Now it is reported that Thomas profited directly from this relationship through property sales which he illegally hid from the American people.
“Justice Thomas has shown an established pattern of disregarding ethics rules and hiding conflicts of interest, which raises serious questions about his ability to impartially hear cases that have enormous influence on Americans’ lives. He has failed to meet the ethical standards to which our highest public officials should be held. Justice Thomas should resign for the good of the Court and the good of the country.”
Justice Thomas’ sale of property to conservative donor Harlan Crow without required financial disclosures was reported by ProPublica today. It followed on their previous reporting – since acknowledged by Thomas – that Crow subsidized lavish travel and accommodations for Thomas and his wife for many years.
Beyer heavily criticized Justice Thomas for past ethical lapses, calling for ethics reform at the U.S. Supreme Court. He is the co-lead of legislation with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) to impose term limits on Supreme Court Justices.
