AOC has unveiled her articles of impeachment against Justices Thomas and Alito for refusing to recuse from certain cases. Co-sponsors: Lee (Calif.), Tlaib, Watson Coleman, Ramirez (Ill.), Frost, Omar and Bowman.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) unveiled articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito on Wednesday, citing an “unchecked corruption crisis” that is “threatening American democracy writ large.” “Justice Thomas and Alito’s repeated failure over decades to disclose that they received millions of dollars in gifts from individuals with business before the court is explicitly against the law,” she added.
The move comes after a new letter from Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) alleged that Thomas was being flown to Russia and took $267,000 in loans from a banker buddy. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) also co-signed on the articles. In order to impeach a Supreme Court justice, Ocasio-Cortez would need a bare majority in the Republican-controlled House and two-thirds of the Senate.
—-
Why it matters: It’s a long-shot element of a broader legislative push by House Democrats to rein in the court after a spate of decisions in June that incensed liberals.
Driving the news: The resolutions accuse Thomas and Alito of refusing to recuse from cases in which they had a “personal bias or prejudice concerning a party,” as well as “failure to disclose” income, gifts and other financial info.
The articles targeting Thomas include a third charge: “Refusal to recuse from matters involving his spouse’s financial interest in cases before the court.”
The resolutions point to lavish gifts both justices received from benefactors reportedly involved in or connected to cases before the Supreme Court.
The measures also point to the involvement of Ginni Thomas in efforts to overturn the 2020 election and reports of “Stop the Steal” symbols at Alito’s properties to argue that their recusal from Jan. 6-related cases was warranted as well.
Inbox: AOC has unveiled her articles of impeachment against Justices Thomas and Alito for refusing to recuse from certain cases.
Co-sponsors: Lee (Calif.), Tlaib, Watson Coleman, Ramirez (Ill.), Frost, Omar and Bowman. pic.twitter.com/KaU5ivqndZ
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) July 10, 2024
Thomas’ attorney Elliot Berke said in a statement last August that the justice has “always strived for full transparency and adherence to the law” and “never accepted a gift from anyone with business before the Court.”