RainaMay 5, 2023
Robert Reich

Just to recap, Clarence Thomas let a GOP megadonor take him on lavish trips, buy his mom's house and let her live there rent free, pay for his grandnephew to attend a private boarding school — all in secret until now.

How is he still on the Supreme Court?

May 4, 2023 at 8:03pmWeb
Show threadzeno's paradox speedrunnerMay 4, 2023
@rbreich because there is no oversight and right-wing politicians don't care about criticism after they get unassailable positions of power
Show threadAndreas KMay 5, 2023

@pixelnull @rbreich How can you say there is no oversight.

There is perfect oversight to 18th century standards provided by a very modern constitution by 18th century standards.

Impeachment by Congress it is.

Will work about as well as impeaching the orange ape worked.

Yes, by any ethical standard these guys should be barred from practising law ever again, probably.

But impeachments are political, and they are good loyal GOP peons.

Show threadMathiasTCKMay 6, 2023

@yacc143 @pixelnull @rbreich we must #UnpackTheCourt, the only feasible way, we must #ExpandTheCourt.

We have unqualified partisans selling rulings in the highest court in the land. This could be avoided by simply listening to our judges when they tell us who is qualified to serve. Who respects the rule of law.

Show threadMathiasTCKMay 6, 2023
@yacc143 @pixelnull @rbreich https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/138vx8z/harlan_crow_and_clarence_thomas_are_about_to/jizpngo/
Harlan Crow and Clarence Thomas Are About to Learn About Gift Taxes

Posted in r/politics by u/DDONH • 24,117 points and 963 comments

reddit
Show threadGrumbleMay 4, 2023
@rbreich Because the other justices on the court are just as bent as Thomas?
Show threadD's lack of faith in humanityMay 4, 2023
@grumble209 @rbreich damn it, I just said the same thing! 😆
Show threadjoeMay 4, 2023
@rbreich Because the USA is a failed state.
Show threadFifi LamouraMay 4, 2023
@rbreich Let's not forget his wife's involvement in Jan 6th while we're talking ethics and corruption...
Show threadAndrew LeaheyMay 4, 2023

@rbreich He disclosed he's a member of the Horatio Alger society, though. Honorary. Honorary member.

https://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Thomas-C-J3.-SC_SR_21.pdf

Show threadChema Hernández GilMay 4, 2023
There are no laws against it and he has no shame?
Show threadRichservo May 4, 2023
@rbreich above the law
Show threadLou KatzMay 4, 2023
@rbreich How is Thomas still on the Supreme Court? Can you not say "GOP"?
Show threadcowvinMay 4, 2023

@rbreich How? Because Republicans don't care to enforce laws on anyone on their side.

If he weren't conservative, he would be impeached and removed.

Show threadSteve HerseyMay 4, 2023
@rbreich
There's no mandatory code of conduct, and half of the Senate and a majority of the House are held by the Insurrection Party. And the only mechanism for removing him requires majorities (or 2/3) in both houses.
It's a Founding Fathers failure mode.
Show threadStu Duerson, machina exo deusMay 4, 2023

@rbreich

The most stunningly tone deaf piece of this, so far, is calling Thomas' ward, his grand-nephew, "at risk."

I'm picturing he being at risk of tennis elbow, or possibly lacrosse ball welts, at most.

Cannot Thomas & Crow, LLC fathom what 'at risk' means to a normal American?

Show threadCallistoMay 5, 2023

@skydog @rbreich

Limited Liability Corruption?

More like Zero Liability.

Show threadnick colemanMay 4, 2023
@rbreich Because the Supreme Court is one big sham?
Show threadStanley Grill, ComposerMay 4, 2023
@rbreich The bigger question is why are even the liberal justices supporting him and refusing to be governed by a code of ethics?
Show threadC SawulaMay 4, 2023
@rbreich Because the bipartisan commitment to graft and self-enrichment has destroyed American politics. When insider trading is legal within Congress, why would they care about the Supreme Court?
Show threadJane Rosenberg LaForgeMay 4, 2023
@rbreich How?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Show thread🧙‍♂️ Julian Invictus ☕May 4, 2023
@rbreich because we have a Congress that is 100% in dereliction of duty, and they ought to be arrested for treason.
Show threadMichael Smith🚎May 4, 2023
@rbreich @coolgrey Note that the tuition “gift” amount is high enough to have to be taxed. You just know he didn’t pay tax on it. Tax fraud is an actual crime. See recent Trump Org tax fraud case for an example.
Show threadLizGMay 4, 2023
@rbreich you know why
Show threadRebelGeek99May 4, 2023
@rbreich he obviously understands how the system works.
Show threadMyOpinionMay 4, 2023
@rbreich That is a fantastic question.
Show threadDarwin WoodkaMay 4, 2023
@rbreich I'm ok with a billionaire having pets, but they shouldn't be on SCOTUS.
Show threadD's lack of faith in humanityMay 4, 2023
@rbreich because the other people on the supreme court are doing similar shit and don't want to be caught?
Show threadDrtuckMay 4, 2023
@rbreich absolutely unethical and Thomas should be impeached!!
Show threadKevin RussellMay 4, 2023

@rbreich

Republicans are destroying public schools, and using private schools as bribes to control officials. America is corrupt. It might bevtime for dems to ve the radical anti corruption party.

Just start rounding these cheating theives up!

Show threadInfiniteOneMay 4, 2023
@rbreich @kevinrns Let me know what branch isn’t corrupt. 🤷🏻‍♂️
Show threadCT133May 4, 2023
@rbreich I’d love to have a friend like this, shower me with lavish lifestyle and gifts yet never ask for anything from me.
Show thread.May 4, 2023
@rbreich Because oligarchs run America. They always have.
Show threadRichard BillingsleyMay 4, 2023
@rbreich in a functioning democracy Thomas would have been impeached by now
Show threadJamie BoothMay 4, 2023
@rbreich you forgot all the people funneling money to his wife...
Show threadSparkymikeMay 5, 2023
@rbreich Because when you are a shameless tool of the rich rules don't apply to you.
Show threadmklcolvinMay 5, 2023
@rbreich Because it's not just Thomas - it's Roberts, it's Alito, it's Gorsuch, Kavanaugh & Barrett. They are all corrupted, and without a means to hold them accountable. This court is rotten from the top down.
Show threadDoug 🌈🇨🇦 May 5, 2023
@rbreich
Corruption is considered a virtue in Republican circles.
Show threadDan Wentzel 🏳️‍🌈May 5, 2023
@rbreich Is the AG or DoJ going to say anything about these Supreme Court scandals? How about appointing a Special Prosecutor?
Show threadEllieMay 5, 2023
@rbreich I'm assuming the republicans will only consider impeaching Clarence Thomas if they can be racist about it.
Show threadZelmo ZiggyMay 5, 2023
@rbreich How are you that naïve?
Show threadC0ppertopMay 5, 2023
@rbreich he’s a Republican, that’s why.
One law for us, another law for republicans.
Isn’t it time to take them all out to the “wood shed”.
Don’t you feel like Charlie Brown taking a chance and giving that football one more kick.
Do you get the feeling that Lucy is a Republican, at heart?
I thinks it’s time to just “slap that bitch”
Show threadWalter Dunham Ll.B.May 5, 2023
@rbreich
Simple ... because he's a GOP hitman in the SCOTUS!
Show threadFlorrieMay 5, 2023
@rbreich And he didn't know he was supposed to report all that. People on food stamps have to prove they're looking for jobs and take drug tests. People in high political office, including courts, can be a crooked as possible without worry of oversight.
Show threadUnprecedented 2023May 5, 2023
@FlorriePuddlefoot @rbreich So true.
Show threadClassyTMay 5, 2023
@rbreich ☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾
Show threadJorge StolfiMay 5, 2023

@rbreich

Because (as in so many other cases) implicit in all that investment was the condition that he would not resign, no matter what?

Show threadReiner Jung 🇬🇱 🇺🇦 🇪🇺May 5, 2023
@rbreich maybe you need a constitutional update with better oversight, limited time in office let say 5-10 years and only a 2/3 majority in the house can elect new judges.
Show threadMoreMMay 5, 2023
@rbreich these are warning "shots" if Clarence doesn't resign, watch more info on the last three ones come more and more. Especial Beer Cavanaugh.
Show threadsj_zeroMay 5, 2023
Because it isn't against the rules. Not just according to him, but according to the entire supreme court -- all 9 justices.

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20to%20Chairman%20Durbin%2004.25.2023.pdf

Advocating that everyone throw away the rules the moment someone you don't like is doing something you don't like is becoming increasingly common, and it's an existential threat to any ideology advocating for it.

Let's say that you get this one. Let's say that they bend the rules to punish someone for something that wasn't against the rules this time. How long until people you do agree with are getting punished for things that aren't against the rules that you don't think are worth punishing someone over?

Eventually, giving up on fairness and rule of law will bite you. Hard.
Show threadDieuMay 5, 2023
@rbreich maybe the SC finds that constitutional.
Show threadAlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️May 5, 2023
@rbreich
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Nobody.
Show threadDSCH 🎼May 5, 2023
@rbreich The donor class writes the rules ✅
Show threadCaptGeekMay 5, 2023

@rbreich

Not so Supreme after all? Or maybe that is what they mean? They can get away with anything!

Show threadJESSICA BMay 5, 2023
@rbreich we don't have enough votes if integrity to oust him. Let's change that in 2024.
Show threadOldTurk🗽Focus: #FreePeltierMay 5, 2023
@rbreich because the people in Washington don’t represent us, they represent their donors
Show threadAllan ChowMay 5, 2023
@rbreich hand wringing