Conservative activist Leonard Leo has been subpoenaed by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in connection with a Supreme Court ethics investigation, calling it a “politically motivated” move and saying he has no intention of complying. It is said that there is no.
“Today, I received an illegal and politically motivated subpoena from U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin,” Leo said in a statement Thursday.
“I will not give in to his lawless support for Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse or to left-wing dark money efforts to silence and cancel political opposition.”
As Senate deliberations continue, Leo received a subpoena from the committee in recent exchanges between Senate Democrats and Leo. Summon information Concerning trips and events that Supreme Court justices have participated in over the years.
Justice’s friend Clarence Thomas says he has never broken any ethics rules and has the receipts to prove it.
dick durbin and leonard leo (Getty Images)
Leo has been a member of the Federalist Society for decades, which advised and lobbied former President Trump through the nominations of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. It has long been criticized by liberal activists for supporting the movement.
Senators have previously heard from groups associated with Leo and other Supreme Court justices he was associated with decades ago, amid public outcry from Democrats accusing Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of ethics violations. requested an itemized list of gifts and payments.has been rejected by many as politically motivated.
Mr. Leo’s attorney, David Rivkin Jr., reiterated in a letter Thursday to Senate Judiciary Chairman David Durbin that Mr. Leo “has not responded” to the “unlawful and politically motivated subpoena.”
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Chairman Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) attends a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining Texas’ abortion law at the Capitol. (Tom Williams Pool/Getty Images)
The senators’ request stems from ProPublica’s reporting on the travel habits of Justices Thomas and Alito. Specifically, ProPublica reported on an Alaska fishing trip that Justice Alito took with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, who would later have a business case before the high court.
Conservatives believe that many of the “experts” cited in various reports undisclosed relationship For the cause of democracy.
The committee had previously authorized the issuance of subpoenas related to gifts given to Thomas by Republican donor Harlan Crowe, and the two subpoenas were considered “effective standards of conduct” for the Supreme Court. “This is an important part of the legislative effort to establish a
conservatives are called out ProPublica is primarily funded by organizations and donors who support liberal causes, such as crowding the courts and removing conservative judges from the courts.
Alito is protected myself Disputing ProPublica’s report, Leo issued a statement denying the idea that the fishing trip was somehow closed to the public.
“Politics, while ignoring other potential sources of information on the alleged subject of interest, who are in similar positions to Mr. Leo but have different political views that are more in line with the committee’s views.” “By selectively targeting Mr. Leo for an investigation on a highly charged basis,” in the majority opinion, your investigation amounted to political retaliation against civilians in violation of the First Amendment. ” Rivkin previously wrote to the committee.
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Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC on October 21, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Mr. Leo and his lawyers also pointed out that the committee has not investigated former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s travels or money received by the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“Since July 2023, Mr. Leonard Leo has completely refused to cooperate with the Senate Judiciary Committee’s legitimate oversight requests,” Sen. Durbin told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“His open defiance left the committee with no choice but to proceed with enforcement proceedings, which is why I issued a subpoena to Mr. Leo.”
The statement continued: “Mr. Leo plays a central role in the ethics crisis plaguing the Supreme Court and, unlike other recipients of requests for information on this issue, has no intention of obstructing the committee. But they haven’t. This subpoena is a direct result of the Supreme Court.” Leo’s own actions and choices. ”
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United States Supreme Court (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
A Durbin aide told Fox News Digital that the senator “certainly expects his targets to recognize the seriousness of Congressional subpoenas,” but that “if they don’t comply, the Senate will issue a subpoena.” “There is an option to force it,” he said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
In November, the Supreme Court adopted a revised ethics code in response to pressure from the Durbin Commission and others.
