Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is leading the effort to have a special counsel appointed to investigate potential ethics and tax violations by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Whitehouse is the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts.
In a letter sent last week to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Rhode Island Democrat and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden of Oregon requested a criminal investigation by the DOJ into possible violations of ethics, tax laws and false statements by Justice Thomas.
“We do not make this request lightly. The evidence assembled thus far plainly suggests that Justice Thomas has committed numerous willful violations of federal ethics and false-statement laws and raises significant questions about whether he and his wealthy benefactors have complied with their federal tax obligations. Presented with opportunities to resolve questions about his conduct, Justice Thomas has maintained a suspicious silence,” wrote Whitehouse and Wyden.
Whitehouse and Wynn say there is a pattern of omission on Thomas's financial disclosures regarding outside income and luxury gifts.
(Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Court Accountability)
Photo: Jemal Countess / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images