Propublica has been digging up the dirt on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for some time now.
Disturbing revelations about his decades long ‘friendship’ with conservative billionaire Harlan Crow, and now the news that he, once again, failed to properly report his appearance at events federal jurists are restricted from participating in (fundraising for partisan purposes) at the Koch Network yearly donor events.
This man is clearly not “holding his office during good behavior”, and he has repeatedly refused to recuse himself from cases in which there is even an appearance of impropriety.
https://www.uscourts.gov/judges-judgeships/code-conduct-united-states-judges
Code of Conduct for United States Judges
The Code of Conduct for United States Judges includes the ethical canons that apply to federal judges and provides guidance on their performance of official duties and engagement in a variety of outside activities.
Canon 1: A Judge Should Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary
An independent and honorable judiciary is indispensable to justice in our society. A judge should maintain and enforce high standards of conduct and should personally observe those standards, so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved. The provisions of this Code should be construed and applied to further that objective.
Canon 2: A Judge Should Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in all Activities
(A) Respect for Law. A judge should respect and comply with the law and should act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.
(B) Outside Influence. A judge should not allow family, social, political, financial, or other relationships to influence judicial conduct or judgment. A judge should neither lend the prestige of the judicial office to advance the private interests of the judge or others nor convey or permit others to convey the impression that they are in a special position to influence the judge. A judge should not testify voluntarily as a character witness.
(C) Nondiscriminatory Membership. A judge should not hold membership in any organization that practices invidious discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin.
Reading over those Canons from the Code of Conduct make it clear, and without a doubt, that Justice Thomas has repeatedly violated both 1 and 2.
Propublica has an entire section of their URL devoted to both Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Thomas and their many, many BAD ACTS: https://www.propublica.org/series/supreme-court-scotus
From unreported luxury trips with ‘generous’ benefactors, to billionaire ‘friends’ who supply them with these expensive vacations; to Harlan Crow buying & renovating the home of Justice Thomas’ mother and then allowing her to remain living in that residence for her lifetime at no cost and also paying for the education of one of the nephews of Justice Thomas who is being raised by Clarence and Ginni Thomas as their ‘son’.
The failure to report all of these actions/events on their yearly personal disclosure forms is to fail to ensure that our highest court is peopled by those who are willing to abide by regulation on their behaviors so as to meet the Canons of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges.
Both Alito and Thomas have broken that code, repeatedly.
Both of them deserve and by the words of Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution…
The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.
… should be impeached for failure to “hold their office during good behavior”.
When are we going to see a courageous member of the US House bring a motion to impeach them?
Understanding that in a GOP held House, no such measure would be passed, I believe that it would still be worthwhile for a Democratic MoC to start the process, so that the public can see that Democrats are ready to stand up for the Rule of Law even if they can’t get to the end of the process until they once again hold the majority in both Houses of Congress.
UPDATE: Democratic Senator Menendez and wife under Indictment
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-bob-menendez-indicted-federal-charges-rcna111447
apologies if this ran here yesterday and I missed the coverage
I added this content because I believe it is relevant as to HOW the Democratic Party and President Biden message out on what Senator Menendez should do at this time, regarding his US Senate seat vs how they message about the corruption in the presidency of Donald Trump.
I believe, and hope, that an acknowledgment of “innocent until found guilty” is first, but as they told then Senator Al Franken, “for the good of the Party you must step down”.
New Jersey Governor (D) Phil Murphy would appoint a replacement until, per the National Conference of State Legislatures at their URL: https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/vacancies-in-the-united-states-senate
If the vacancy occurs more than 30 days before the regular primary, the election is held the following November. If the vacancy occurs within 30 days before the primary, the vacancy election is held at the second November election after the vacancy occurs.
So the 2024 would be the election for a full term.