Two Democrat lawmakers are demanding Chief Justice John Roberts reveal what steps he has taken to investigate what they call “allegations of serious ethical misconduct” by conservative Supreme Court justices.
The letter repeats Democrats’ accusations against Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. The lawmakers allege the justices have engaged in unethical conduct including receiving gifts from outside parties without declaring them. The justices deny any wrongdoing.
Mr. Raskin and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez are also pressuring the two justices to recuse themselves from two pending Trump-related election cases the Supreme Court is deliberating. They claim the justices are biased in favor of former President Donald Trump.
The letter says the two justices’ “transparently partisan ideological activity” calls into question their impartiality.
The letter says Justice Alito has “repeatedly flown flags” at his properties associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement, which claimed President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral win was fraudulent. Justice Alito said his wife flew the flags and she was not making a statement about the 2020 election.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on June 5 that the Court should “discipline” Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who are members of the Supreme Court bar, for violating legal ethics by demanding the recusals.
The letter states that an investigation is needed at the court because there is a “deepening ethics crisis” there that “is turning into a full-blown legitimacy crisis.”
Republicans say the bill is unconstitutional because it violates the separation of powers. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has said the legislation is part of an “effort by the Left to destroy the Court.”
The Epoch Times asked Chief Justice Roberts to comment on the letter but no reply was received by press time.
