AOC pushes for federal ethics investigation into Clarence Thomas’ “gift” habit

On the heels of numerous examples of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepting lavish gifts from donors making their way through the news cycle, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is calling for a federal ethics investigation into his hands-in-pockets habit. 

According to The Guardian, five House Democrats led by AOC drafted a letter to US attorney general, Merrick Garland stating, “We write to urge the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into Clarence Thomas for consistently failing to report significant gifts he received from Harlan Crow and other billionaires for nearly two decades in defiance of his duty under federal law.” The letter was co-signed by Jerrold Nadler of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House judiciary committee; Jamie Raskin of Maryland, a professor of constitutional law; Ted Lieu of California; and Hank Johnson of Georgia.

“No individual, regardless of their position or stature, should be exempt from legal scrutiny for lawbreaking,” the letter furthered. “As a supreme court justice and high constitutional officer, Justice Thomas should be held to the highest standard, not the lowest and he certainly shouldn’t be allowed to violate federal law . . . The Department of Justice must undertake a thorough investigation into the reported conduct to ensure that it cannot happen again.”