The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is planning a hearing on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas‘ apparently decades-long failure to disclose possibly millions of dollars worth of gifts, and one top Democrat, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), wants the jurist who has been on the court since 1991, to be subpoenaed.
Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL), “says Senate Judiciary will announce plans for hearing on Clarence Thomas controversy sometime this week. Won’t say if he wants Thomas testimony. Blumenthal does,” CNN’s Manu Raju reported via Twitter.
“Clarence Thomas should be subpoenaed, that ought to be on the table,” Senator Blumenthal told reporters Wednesday afternoon.
Blumenthal, a former Attorney General for his home state, as well as a former U.S. Attorney, appeared familiar with the legal aspects of Justice Thomas’ possibly unlawful failure to disclose what is likely millions of dollars worth of luxury travel, food, lodging, and clothing from billionaire GOP mega donor and conservative activist Harlan Crow.
Blumenthal added that in addition to Justice Thomas being subpoenaed, “So should everyone with potential knowledge about his failure to disclose all of those gifts, travel and money payments, including Harlan Crowe [sic] and others who may have made the payments or gifts.”
Last Friday, Sen. Blumenthal called for Justice Thomas to resign.
“Justice Thomas should resign – to uphold the Court and American justice. The unavoidable, sickening appearance of impropriety stains trust & credibility in our whole judiciary.”
He also called for a “full, fair investigation”, saying it is “essential.”
“If the Judiciary refuses to do its own investigation – through something like an independent special inspector general, as I’ve repeatedly urged – Congress must act.”
Chairman Durbin will not be able to subpoena Justice Thomas until Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) returns to DC to give the Democrats a majority. He may also face a separation of powers challenge, and may not want to subpoena the Supreme Court justice.
On Thursday, Chairman Durbin said Thomas’ “20 years of gift travel on yachts and chartered planes was outrageous,” NBC News reported. “He added that the failure to disclose Crow’s real estate deals and his reported purchase of Thomas’ mother’s home was ‘beyond anything I could imagine at the Supreme Court level.'”
“It’s not clear when the hearing will take place or what the scope would be. Durbin said he has ‘a number of things in mind’ he is discussing with committee members, but he was pessimistic about getting Thomas to testify.”