Dems call on Justice Roberts to investigate Clarence Thomas over undisclosed gifts

Senate Democrats on Monday called on Chief Justice John Roberts to investigate Clarence Thomas over undisclosed gifts that were the subject of a blockbuster ProPublica report.

The report alleges Thomas and his wife Ginni took several luxury trips paid for by billionaire Harlan Crow.

Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin authored a letter to Roberts that said his committee is already planning to investigate details of the report that the Illinois Democrat in the letter alleges is “plainly inconsistent with the ethical standards the American people expect of any person in a position of public trust.”

The letter is cosigned by all 11 Democratic committee members.

“The Senate Judiciary Committee, which has legislative jurisdiction over Federal courts and judges, has a role to play in ensuring that the nation’s highest court does not have the federal judiciary’s lowest ethical standards,” the letter said.

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“You have a role to play as well, both in investigating how such conduct could take place at the Court under your watch, and in ensuring that such conduct does not happen again. We urge you to immediately open such an investigation and take all needed action to prevent further misconduct.”

Thomas on Saturday issued a statement that said he "was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from a close personal friend, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable."

"I have endeavored to follow that counsel throughout my tenure, and have always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines."

Legal experts are divided over whether Thomas broke the law, but the revelations in the report raise ethical issues and have prompted calls for new guidelines, The New York Times reports.

Durbin’s letter said his committee will address the need to restore public confidence.

“In the coming days, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing regarding the need to restore confidence in the Supreme Court’s ethical standards. And if the Court does not resolve this issue on its own, the Committee will consider legislation to resolve it,” the letter said.

“But you do not need to wait for Congress to act to undertake your own investigation into the reported conduct and to ensure that it cannot happen again. We urge you to do so.”