In a continued Democrat effort to investigate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts is being asked to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 2.
Chair Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has sent a letter to Roberts requesting his voluntary testimony on Supreme Court ethics amid allegations the conservative Justice Thomas has erred on past financial disclosures, NBC News reported.
"There has been a steady stream of revelations regarding justices falling short of the ethical standards expected of other federal judges and, indeed, of public servants generally," the letter read, according to the report.
"These problems were already apparent back in 2011, and the court's decade-long failure to address them has contributed to a crisis of public confidence. The status quo is no longer tenable."
Durbin's letter requesting the May 2 appearance to talk about ethics comes as the House Judiciary is fighting to subpoena Mark Pomerantz in the prosecution of former President Donald Trump and the House oversight chairs are looking heavily into handling of Hunter Biden's alleged influence-peddling schemes.
Democrats have raised questions about Thomas' ties to wealthy Republican donor Harlan Crow.
In a statement April 7, besides noting Crow had no business before the court, Thomas said he consulted court members and others and was advised the hospitality was not reportable.
The Associated Press, citing a judiciary policy guide, confirmed Thomas' assertion, noting that food, lodging, or entertainment received as "personal hospitality of any individual" does not need to be reported if it is at the individual's residence. AP noted that the guidelines do not exempt "transportation that substitutes for commercial transportation."
Additionally, others, such as President Joe Biden, also have been afforded hospitality by wealthy Democratic donors without officially disclosing it. The Bidens celebrated the New Year this past January in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a beachfront villa, free of charge, owned by Bill and Connie Neville, who had previously attended a White House state dinner, the New York Post reported.
Furthermore, the Bidens were not billed for several stays at the nine-bedroom Kiawah Island, South Carolina, home of donor Maria Allwin, nor at the $20 million Nantucket home of billionaire private equity financier David Rubenstein — none of which was disclosed on financial forms.
Durbin's letter said it would be acceptable for Roberts to send another justice in his place May 2, and vowed "the scope of your testimony can be limited" to ethics questions.
The chair also noted there is "ample precedent" for seeking the testimony from Supreme Court justices, which last came in October, 2011.
"The opportunity for the American people to hear from justices in this setting presents a moment that could strengthen faith in our public institutions," Durbin's letter added, according to NBC News. "The time has come for a new public conversation on ways to restore confidence in the court's ethical standards."
He famously rebuked Democrat challenges to his confirmation in 1991 as a "high-tech lynching" — including from then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.
Also, his wife Virginia Thomas has been rebuked by the left for having supported former President Donald Trump's 2020 presidential election challenges.