for more than a year, the Supreme Court has been embroiled in an ethical crisis of its own design. Story after story about ethical misconduct by sitting Supreme Court Justices has led the news for months. For decades, however, Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted lavish gifts and luxury trips from a gaggle of fawning billionaires. The total dollar value of these gifts is in the millions--one Supreme Court Justice, millions of dollars' worth of gifts. Justice Alito, as well, went on a luxury fishing trip that should have cost him over $100,000, but it didn't cost him a dime because the trip was funded by a billionaire and organized by rightwing kingpin Leonard Leo. Well, Justice Thomas and Justice Alito failed to disclose gifts they accepted in clear violation of financial disclosure requirements under Federal law. But it isn't only the shameless conduct that cast a dark shadow over the Court. Time and again, these Justices' actions have cast doubt on their impartiality on cases before the Court. Last summer, Justice Alito sat for an interview conducted in part by an attorney with a case before the Court. In that interview, Justice Alito went so far as to publicly state that Congress has no authority to regulate the Supreme Court.…
On the recordJune 12, 2024
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