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House Democrats Urge IRS Investigation Into Supreme Court ‘Bribes’

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Three House Democrats are requesting the IRS “confirm” if gift taxes were paid by billionaire benefactors to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito after reports show both jurists received luxury vacations and other items of worth.

“Today my colleagues and I are calling on the IRS to probe all the free gifts republican judges clarence thomas and sam alito have gotten and whether taxes were ever paid on all these bribes,” U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) wrote via social media. Congressman Pascrell is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Oversight.

“In light of recent reports, we respectfully request that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) examine whether gifts to Supreme Court Justices have been appropriately reported for tax purposes,” wrote Pascrell, along with Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), in a letter addressed to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. They add: “we urge the IRS to confirm that appropriate filing requirements were made – and appropriate taxes paid – on these gifts.”

READ MORE: ‘Crisis’: Expert Calls SCOTUS ‘Illegitimate’ and Warns Its ‘Judicial Terrorists’ Are a ‘Threat to Democracy’

“Numerous media reports indicate that Justice Clarence Thomas has frequently accepted luxury travel and other gifts from wealthy acquaintances,: the letter continues.

“Among other things, these reports allege that that Justice Thomas sold his mother’s house (and other properties) to Harlan Crow, a billionaire who has also financed several luxury vacations for the Justice and has given Justice Thomas numerous valuable gifts over the past three decades. Reports also state that Justice Thomas’ purchase of a recreational vehicle was partially underwritten by a wealthy friend; that Mr. Crow paid for Justice Thomas’ grandnephew to attend private boarding school; and that Justice Thomas has consistently failed to disclose these arrangements,” the three Democrats say.

“A separate report, published in June of this year, found that Justice Samuel Alito accepted a free vacation from billionaire
political megadonor Paul Singer – and then never reported the trip.”

Pointing to “alarming concerns,” they add, “most prominently, that billionaires with business before the Court are regularly plying Justices with extravagant gifts.”

READ MORE: ‘That Was a Lie’: Another Important Fact in the Anti-LGBTQ Supreme Court Wedding Website Case Was Also False

“But they also raise questions about whether appropriate gift taxes were paid by benefactors to the Justices,” the three Democrats say.

“Given that many of the gifts received by Mr. Thomas clearly exceed the limits, Mr. Crow and other benefactors presumably had an obligation to file IRS Form 709, a United States Gift (And Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return, so as to report any changes to his lifetime gift tax exclusion (and, to the extent that such exclusion had been exhausted, pay any taxes owed on those gifts).”

Nearly every Republican-appointed justice currently sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court has been tinged by alleged ethics scandals or possible perceptions of conflict of interest. Chief Justice John Roberts’ wife has made millions of dollars recruiting attorneys into high-powered law firms, some of which do business before the Supreme Court. Justices Thomas and Alito have received luxury vacations. Justice Alito’s wife leased land to an oil and gas firm while he wrote an opinion restricting the EPA’s work. Justice Neil Gorsuch sold land, just nine days after being confirmed, to the head of a law firm that does business before the court, without disclosing the buyer. The sale of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s home set off alarms by a watchdog group.

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Ethics Committee Reveals Latest Republican to Come Under Review: Report

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The House Ethics Committee has reportedly announced that U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is facing a review by the Office of Congressional Conduct.

The origin of the review was not been disclosed. Under committee rules, officials are prohibited from stating whether the matter constitutes a formal investigation or identifying its underlying cause. The Committee only stated that there is a “matter regarding Representative Nancy Mace.”

“The Committee notes that the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee,” the Ethics Committee statement reads. It was posted to social media by congressional journalist Jamie Dupree.

The statement also says the committee will “announce its course of action in this matter on or before March 2, 2026.”

Congresswoman Mace is currently running for governor of South Carolina.

Earlier this month Mace warned that Republicans may lose control of the House, saying they have not “done enough” and could “do a lot more” to implement President Donald Trump’s agenda, The Hill reported.

 

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Republican Vows to Block Trump’s Greenland Push

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A prominent Republican lawmaker is vowing to thwart any attempt by President Donald Trump to acquire Greenland through force or financial means.

Speaking from Copenhagen as part of a bipartisan delegation of U.S. congressional lawmakers, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), told reporters it is “an important message for the people of the Kingdom of Denmark to understand” that the United States has “three separate but equal branches” of government.

Reminding them that under the U.S. Constitution it is Congress that controls spending, Senator Murkowski, who has broken ranks and stood up to President Trump at times, said, “In Congress, we have tools at our disposal under our constitutional authority that speaks specifically to the power of the purse through appropriations.”

She noted also that “Congress has a role. Certainly, when it comes to spending authorities, the Congress has a role in basically helping to facilitate the message that comes from our constituents, to be reflected in whether it’s legislation or appropriations, or actions or measures, that can indicate, again, the will of the Congress.”

READ MORE: Trump Dangles Another Insurrection Act Threat for Minnesota

The “vast majority” of Americans do not support the acquisition of Greenland, Senator Murkowski added, noting that “some 75 percent will say we do not think that that is a good idea.”

“Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset,” Murkowski also told reporters.

Politico reported that U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) “also took part in the visit by House and Senate lawmakers,” and “said he would push ahead with legislation to curb Trump’s power to act unilaterally.”

He also denied President Trump’s claims that Greenland is necessary to be owned by the U.S. for national security reasons.

“Are there real, pressing threats to the security of Greenland from China and Russia?” Coons said. “No, not today.”

READ MORE: With Shutdown Looming and Crises Growing Trump Heads Off for Long Mar-a-Lago Weekend

 

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Trump Dangles Another Insurrection Act Threat for Minnesota

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Just one day after threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, which would allow him to unleash domestic military forces onto American streets, President Donald Trump once again on Friday hinted he would do so while suggesting he may be “forced” to take action.

Trump targeted Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, claiming they “don’t know what to do” after he deployed roughly 3,000 federal troops to the city.

“In Minnesota,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “the Troublemakers, Agitators, and Insurrectionists are, in many cases, highly paid professionals.”

“The Governor and Mayor don’t know what to do, they have totally lost control, and our currently being rendered, USELESS! If, and when, I am forced to act, it will be solved, QUICKLY and EFFECTIVELY!”

The Guardian labeled Trump’s claims that protesters are paid as baseless.

Attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick wrote: “Note that the Trump admin hasn’t yet been able to produce evidence of a SINGLE ‘paid protestor.’ They’ve had total control of the FBI and the DOJ and ICE HSI and yet despite all of that, they can’t even find ONE person who they can accuse of being paid to protest.”

Separately, The Steady State, a group of over 365 former national security officials, while not referring to Trump’s remarks from Friday morning, noted that the Insurrection Act is “an extraordinary power meant for true emergencies, not a shield for unconstitutional policing. Using it to silence dissent or justify unlawful paramilitary activity at the hand of ICE undermines the rule of law.”

READ MORE: With Shutdown Looming and Crises Growing Trump Heads Off for Long Mar-a-Lago Weekend

 

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