A small step forward on Supreme Court corruption

[Charlie Cooper]

Our friends in United for Democracy, a national coalition on Supreme Court reform, praised the Senate Judiciary Committee for issuing subpoenas to billionaire ("dear friend," that is) Harlan Crow and dark money manipulator Leonard Leo. They had to overcome procedural obstacles from senators of the minority party.

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out - Maryland

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Tishan Weerasooriya <tis...@standupamerica.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 30, 2023 at 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: [United For Democracy] AFJ Statement on Subpoena Vote
To: Zack Ford <zack...@afj.org>
Cc: united-for...@googlegroups.com <united-for...@googlegroups.com>

Thanks Zack and adding Stand Up America's statement below. Great work from Durbin using the full rulebook to his power!!

Link is here

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOVEMBER 30, 2023 PRESS CONTACT: Sarah Harris, pr...@standupamerica.com  WITH CROW AND LEO SUBPOENAS, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE REASSERTS CONGRESS’ ROLE AS CO-EQUAL BRANCH WASHINGTON — After Republicans forced a three-week delay, the Senate Judiciary Committee has, at last, voted to subpoena Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo for information regarding their involvement in funding luxury travel, gifts, and other benefits for Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.  Brett Edkins, Stand Up America’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, issued the following statement:   “Billionaires like Harlan Crow believe they can buy loyalty on the Supreme Court, turning our nation’s highest court into a political plaything for the ultra-wealthy and well-connected. Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a strong message that the rich and powerful cannot evade scrutiny or accountability. We applaud Chair Durbin and committee Democrats for reaffirming Congress’ role as a co-equal branch of government and confronting the corruption on our nation’s highest court.” “The American people deserve answers. Today’s vote brings us one step closer to understanding the full scope of Justice Thomas’ and Alito’s wrongdoing and restoring honesty and integrity to the Supreme Court.” Last month, Stand Up America and other progressive groups delivered over 400,000 signatures calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Chair Durbin to investigate Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito and pass a binding code of ethics for Supreme Court justices.  ### About Stand Up America Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters. Website: StandUpAmerica.com Twitter: @StandUpAmerica Instagram: @StandUp_America Facebook: @StandUpAmerica

On Thu, Nov 30, 2023 at 12:07 PM Zack Ford <zack...@afj.org> wrote:

AFJ Applauds Subpoenas for Supreme Court Benefactors 

https://www.afj.org/article/afj-applauds-subpoenas-for-supreme-court-benefactors/

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 30, 2023 – After a heated discussion, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted today to approve the subpoenaing wealthy conservative donors Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo who have lavished Supreme Court justices with gifts, vacations, private jet travel, and other luxuries. The money they have poured into the courts raises serious ethical questions that need to be answered. 

Alliance for Justice has called for Justice Clarence Thomas’s resignation since ProPublica first reported on luxury yacht vacations that Crow had provided him. Since then, there has only been mounting evidence of financial corruption on the Court, all while these donors conspicuously and repeatedly refused to provide any information in response to Senate inquiries.  

AFJ President Rakim H.D. Brooks issued the following statement: 

“The Senate Judiciary Committee is completely in the right to issue these subpoenas. It is a quintessential duty of Congress to assess whether and how much financial coercion has been taking place on the Supreme Court. If justices can be bought, then we have no real system of justice.  

“We need to know exactly how much influence these conservative donors have, and the senators have asked nicely for months. The time for pleasantries is over, and we applaud Chair Durbin for initiating the committee’s investigation. Sunlight will forever be the best disinfectant for corruption.”

Zack Ford (he/him/his) Senior Manager, Press and Editorial Communications Alliance for Justice │ Alliance for Justice Action Campaign Zack...@afj.org O: 202-464-7370 │ M: 717-512-5819 www.afj.org | @ZackFord

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