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.

  • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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    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
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      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
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        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
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      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
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      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.