Sightful Invest
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Stock
Top Posts
Flashback: Top five wildest moments from Elon Musk’s...
Less than half of DOGE-terminated contracts can be...
Jill Biden should have to answer for ‘cover...
DOGE staffing shakeup as Elon Musk hangs up...
State Dept says DOGE’s changes will be permanent...
President Trump teases ‘last day, but not really’...
Trump denounces court’s ‘political’ tariff decision, calls on...
I’m a physician and I’m worried that our...
Inside the late-night drama that led to Trump’s...
Alleged attempt to impersonate White House chief of...
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Stock

Sightful Invest

Politics

Federal courts will not make criminal referrals to DOJ over separate ethics complaints against Justice Thomas

by admin January 4, 2025
January 4, 2025
Federal courts will not make criminal referrals to DOJ over separate ethics complaints against Justice Thomas

Separate ethics complaints filed by members of Congress and an advocacy group against Justices Clarence Thomas and Ketanji Brown Jackson will not be referred to the Justice Department, federal court officials announced.

The U.S. Judicial Conference said Thomas has agreed to follow updated guidelines on listing free private travel and gifts from friends, following previous reporting on undisclosed hospitality.

For her part, Jackson has amended her financial disclosures following complaints about her husband’s consulting income as a physician.

Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), had asked for an investigation by the judiciary itself into undisclosed hospitality provided to Thomas by billionaire friend Harland Crow. ProPublica reported on several instances of private travel and lodging over the years.

Judge Robert Conrad, who heads the judicial conference policymaking body, said in letters to the lawmakers that Thomas had filed amended financial disclosures ‘that address several issues identified in your letter.’ 

Additionally, Conrad said that it was not clear whether the judiciary itself could make criminal referrals against a sitting Supreme Court member.

‘Because the Judicial Conference does not superintend the Supreme Court and because any effort to grant the Conference such authority would raise serious constitutional questions, one would expect Congress at a minimum to state any such directive clearly. But no such express directive appears in this provision,’ Conrad said.

Conrad noted that Whitehouse and Wyden had separately asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to name a special counsel to investigate then-former President Donald Trump. Garland has not acted yet on that request.

Whitehouse, in a statement, criticized the Judicial Conference’s decision.

‘By all appearances, the judicial branch is shirking its statutory duty to hold a Supreme Court justice accountable for ethics violations,’ said Whitehouse.

The complaint filed against Jackson came from Citizens for Renewing America, led by Russ Vought, who was nominated by President-elect Trump to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

Questions over ethics, including unreported private travel by some justices, have led the court to adopt its first code of ethics last year.

However, compliance is left to each of the nine justices, leading to concerns the court is not taking its own ethics enforcement standards seriously.

A two-year investigation by Senate Democrats released last week found additional luxury travel by Justice Thomas in 2021 was not noted on his annual financial disclosure form. 

Fix the Court, a group which advocates for greater judicial transparency, urged Congress to act. 

‘The Conference’s letters further underscore the need for Congress to create a new and transparent mechanism to investigate the justices for ethics violations since the Conference is unwilling to act upon the one method we had presumed existed to do that,’ said Executive Director Gabe Roth.

Related Topics

  • Supreme Court
  • Politics
  • Federal Courts
  • Judiciary
This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

previous post
Tracking government spending: Contractual services and supplies
next post
Jimmy Carter, pioneer of the religious right

You may also like

Newsom rails against Trump’s 25% tariff plan during...

December 6, 2024

Six in 10 Democrats say Israel bears ‘a...

October 30, 2024

Walz faces backlash after defending Obama-era mandate repealed...

October 3, 2024

Ben Carson dispels rumors about joining White House...

November 18, 2024

Trump announces US ambassador nominations that include mayor...

March 8, 2025

Germany accuses Elon Musk of trying to interfere...

December 31, 2024

Israeli official praises Stefanik as UN pick, says...

November 12, 2024

RFK Jr. says he plans to also meet...

December 18, 2024

Second judge orders Trump admin to rehire probationary...

March 14, 2025

Trump quips he’d ‘love’ to run against Obama...

April 1, 2025

Recent Posts

  • Flashback: Top five wildest moments from Elon Musk’s DOGE tenure as it comes to an end
  • Less than half of DOGE-terminated contracts can be publicly tracked, only about a quarter of grants: watchdog
  • Jill Biden should have to answer for ‘cover up’ of former president’s decline, White House says
  • DOGE staffing shakeup as Elon Musk hangs up his hat, White House confirms
  • State Dept says DOGE’s changes will be permanent amid Musk’s departure

    Become a VIP member by signing up for our newsletter. Enjoy exclusive content, early access to sales, and special offers just for you! As a VIP, you'll receive personalized updates, loyalty rewards, and invitations to private events. Elevate your experience and join our exclusive community today!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Categories

    • Business (751)
    • Investing (2,211)
    • Politics (2,729)
    • Stock (4)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: sightfulinvest.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 Sightful Invest. All Rights Reserved.