Congressman Dan Goldman Leads Call from Former Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Officials, and Judges for Supreme Court to Establish Ethics Counsel and Independent Investigative Body

Follows Multiple Reports of Unethical Behavior by Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito, Lack of Consistency in Supreme Court Ethics Investigations

Supreme Court Ethical Counsel to Ensure Supreme Court Justices Capable of Upholding Highest Ethical Standards

American People Increasingly See Court as Corrupt and Facing Legitimacy Crisis

Read Letter Here

Washington D.C. - Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today led 17 members of Congress who are all former prosecutors, law enforcement officials, or judges in sending a letter to Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts urging the Chief Justice to establish an ethics counsel within the Supreme Court to standardize the Court’s ethics procedures, advise justices on ethics issues – including disclosure requirements and recusals – and prevent ethical misjudgments. The letter also urges Chief Justice Roberts to establish an independent investigative body that can provide transparency and accountability through exhaustive investigations into alleged ethical improprieties. These recommendations serve to improve public trust in the Supreme Court and ensure the Court holds itself to the highest ethical standards.

“The recent revelations of decades of repeated ethical lapses from Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito underscores the vital need for significant ethical reforms in the Supreme Court,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “The American people increasingly sense a crisis of legitimacy within this Court because repeated ethical improprieties have not been addressed. If Chief Justice Roberts intends to police his own Court — as he says he will — then he must create a robust, independent and transparent investigative body to address credible allegations of ethical lapses, as well as installing an ethics counsel to oversee proper adherence to disclosure rules. The status quo is unacceptable and will simply continue to undermine faith in the institution.”

Earlier this year it was revealed that Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose gifts and travel from political activist Harlan Crow with at least one trip valued at over $500,000. Reports have also revealed that Crow bought properties from Justice Thomas and his relatives for at least double what Justice Thomas had said those properties were worth. Justice Thomas’ family received up to $750,000 in income yearly from a firm that has not existed since 2006.

Justice Thomas’ pattern of unethical behavior dates to at least 2011, when it was revealed that he had failed to disclose employment details for his wife, Virginia Thomas, despite her earning over $686,000 from a conservative think tank, income from a conservative college, and reimbursements for trips to speak at law schools.

It has also recently come to light that Justice Alito accepted extravagant gifts from major conservative donors including Paul Singer, a hedge fund billionaire who has repeatedly asked the Court to rule on his business dealings. The allegations that Justice Alito accepted a paid-for vacation that totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Leonard Leo, who had recently played a significant role in Justice Alito’s confirmation process, further serves to undermine the legitimacy of the court.

Neither Justice Thomas’ nor Justice Alito’s potential ethical misconduct have been subject to a public investigation, though the Court has engaged in such investigations in the past, including following the Dobbs decision leak.

Prior to the recent revelations detailing Justice Thomas’ and Justice Alito’s ethical lapses, 53 percent of Americans had little or no trust in the Supreme Court to operate in the best interests of the American people.

Read the letter here.

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