All articles tagged with #ethics scandal
Former Oregon Republican Sen. Bob Packwood, a long-time advocate for abortion rights who often bucked his party, died at 93. His career ended after a 1993-95 ethics investigation into sexual misconduct and staff harassment, which led to his resignation in 1995, followed by a lobbying career; his legacy remains defined by the scandal despite legislative achievements like the 1986 tax reform.
Charles B. Rangel, a prominent Harlem-born Congressman and the first Black chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, who served from 1970 to 2016 and was a key political figure in New York and national politics, died at 94. His career was marked by significant legislative achievements, political influence, and a notable ethics censure in 2010.
Justice Samuel Alito is embroiled in an ethics scandal, facing criticism for misinterpreting sources in his opinions and resisting calls to recuse from Jan. 6-related cases. His recent rulings, including a death penalty case, have been marked by significant factual errors and overreach, raising concerns about his judicial conduct and the broader implications for the Supreme Court's integrity.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas reportedly told a Republican congressman in 2000 that justices should receive a pay raise or risk resigning, sparking concerns among rightwingers due to his importance as a conservative. Thomas's financial situation and ethics have come under scrutiny this year, with reports of undeclared gifts from Republican donors. ProPublica's investigation revealed that Thomas had violated federal disclosure laws by not reporting a trip paid for by event organizers. Despite calls for his resignation or impeachment, the conservative majority in the court and Republican control of the House and Senate make these outcomes unlikely.
US ethics watchdog groups praised the Senate judiciary committee's decision to issue subpoenas for rightwing donor Harlan Crow and activist Leonard Leo, seeking information about gifts given to conservative justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. The subpoenas were approved by all 11 Democratic senators on the committee, while Republicans objected and accused Democrats of engaging in a witch-hunt. The gifts, which include undisclosed lavish items, have raised concerns about ethics violations and corruption within the Supreme Court. Leonard Leo stated that he will not comply with the congressional subpoena.
President Joe Biden expresses concern that the "extreme" US Supreme Court, dominated by rightwing justices, may not uphold the rule of law. Biden worries that if the "Maga Republicans" win, they will not prioritize the rule of law. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has already made significant rulings on issues such as abortion rights and gun control. ProPublica's reporting has raised an ethics scandal involving two rightwing justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, and their ties to wealthy rightwing donors. Biden believes that the court would still uphold the rule of law but calls for ethics reform are growing.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse criticized Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's excuses in response to ethics questions raised in a report about a free luxury fishing trip. Alito failed to report the trip on his financial disclosure forms and didn’t recuse himself from cases involving Singer’s businesses. Whitehouse said Alito's excuses were "preposterous" and investigators would "get to the bottom of" ethics bombshells involving Alito and his fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas. Whitehouse also highlighted the need to scrutinize "this creepy group of right-wing billionaires who are meddling in the Supreme Court."
Justice Samuel Alito's acceptance of a free flight and stay at a private resort in Alaska, organized by the Federalist Society's Leonard Leo and funded by Leo's billionaire donors, raises questions about the influence of wealthy donors on the Supreme Court. While Alito claims he did not know about the involvement of a hedge fund magnate with business before the court, the real issue is the grifting of billionaires assigned to individual justices for lavish gift giving and influence. The focus should be on the influence scheme, not just the ethics scandal.
The UK parliamentary Privileges Committee is expected to publish a report this week on whether former Prime Minister Boris Johnson misled lawmakers over lockdown-flouting parties at his office. Johnson unexpectedly quit as a lawmaker on Friday and accused political opponents of driving him out in a "witch hunt." The committee could have suspended Johnson from the House of Commons if he was found to have lied deliberately. Revelations that Johnson and his staff held office parties, birthday celebrations and "wine time Fridays" in 2020 and 2021, at a time when millions were prohibited from seeing loved ones or even attending family funerals, angered many Britons and added to a string of ethics scandals that spelled his downfall.
Utah Senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee have different reactions to the ethics scandal surrounding Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who failed to report gifts and real estate dealings with Texas billionaire Harlan Crow. Romney expressed concern over the issue, while Lee defended Thomas and used it to fundraise for his own campaign. Both senators have received campaign donations from Crow.