ProPublica released a new report on Friday detailing Justice Clarence Thomas’ close relationship with the Koch brothers with previously undisclosed and extraordinarily damning new details.

According to ProPublica, the justice developed a friendship with the Kochs as they were funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into right-wing causes, many of which ended up before the Supreme Court. The brothers then used Thomas to raise money for their sprawling network, inviting him to speak at “donor events” that brought in millions of dollars.

He disclosed none of these activities on his annual disclosure forms, an obvious violation of federal ethics law.

  • fiah@discuss.tchncs.de
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    1 year ago

    it’s almost like having appointed supreme court judges without term limits is a colossally bad idea

    • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Like many things, the core concept was good for the time… To try to insulate the court from unstable politics and presidential whims, in the interests of a stable legal system that doesnt have to be afraid of being replaced when they displease the president.

      its just no one had the foresight to see that one side would betray the country 200 years in the future and turn the court into a corrupt, bought and paid for factory from which the undermining and destruction of democracy could be launched.

      The Supreme Court was thrown into chaos because republicans refused to appoint any justices under Obama (Edit. I neglected to specify in his last year, Thanks to the next poster for pointing that out), This giving them more than enough picks under their guy to permanantly damage the court and skew it forever in their favor short of radical action.

      • Jordan Lund@lemmy.one
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        The Supreme Court was thrown into chaos because republicans refused to appoint any justices under Obama

        Now, now, Obama DID get Sotomayor and Kagan. McConnell only blocked Merrick Garland.

        That being said, in my lifetime, Democratic Presidents have only put FIVE members on the court, Republicans got 15. Carter is the one who drew a blank.

        Nixon/Ford got as many in their two terms as all the Democrats since then COMBINED.

        https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/members_text.aspx

        Ginsburg, Ruth Bader - Clinton
        Breyer, Stephen G. - Clinton
        Sotomayor, Sonia - Obama
        Kagan, Elena - Obama
        Jackson, Ketanji Brown - Biden

        Burger, Warren Earl - Nixon
        Blackmun, Harry A. - Nixon
        Powell, Lewis F., Jr. - Nixon
        Rehnquist, William H. - Nixon
        Stevens, John Paul - Ford
        O’Connor, Sandra Day - Reagan
        Scalia, Antonin - Reagan
        Kennedy, Anthony M. - Reagan
        Souter, David H. - Bush, G. H. W.
        Thomas, Clarence - Bush, G. H. W.
        Roberts, John G., Jr. - Bush, G. W.
        Alito, Samuel A., Jr. - Bush, G. W.
        Gorsuch, Neil M. - Trump
        Kavanaugh, Brett M. - Trump
        Barrett, Amy Coney - Trump

        • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          Now, now, Obama DID get Sotomayor and Kagan. McConnell only blocked Merrick Garland.

          You are right. I forgot to specify in his last year, that is entirely on me.

      • winterayars@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        I don’t think “in his last year” matters. That’s some calvinball nonsense McConnell pulled out of his ass to justify grinding the function of his branch of government to a halt and everyone just… went along with it. The year isn’t what mattered, what mattered was that Obama was a black Democratic president and McConnell thought he could get away with it.

      • Illuminostro@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        “The Founders” (I hate that term) were trusting everyone would act in good faith, and be of good moral character. They were very mistaken.

    • Illuminostro@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      But if God didn’t want them to be there, they wouldn’t be. And we all know God doesn’t make mistakes, and knows best, don’t we? 'Murica! What Index Fund Would Jeebus Use?