Ocasio-Cortez Initiates Impeachment Proceedings Against Supreme Court Justices Thomas & Alito

On Wednesday, Congressional Democrats intensified their scrutiny of the Supreme Court by taking significant action. New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez filed articles of impeachment against Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, marking a dramatic escalation in the battle against what they perceive as ethical violations within the highest court.

Although the House remains under Republican control, making the success of the impeachment efforts uncertain, the action underscores Democrats’ resolve. According to Ocasio-Cortez, both justices have repeatedly failed to recuse themselves from critical cases despite having significant financial and personal conflicts, thus endangering public trust in the judiciary.

“Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito’s pattern of refusal to recuse from consequential matters before the court in which they hold widely documented financial and personal entanglements constitutes a grave threat to American rule of law, the integrity of our democracy, and one of the clearest cases for which the tool of impeachment was designed,” stated Ocasio-Cortez.

Both Thomas and Alito have faced intense scrutiny over the past year for alleged ethical lapses. Reports indicate they failed to disclose gifts and travel funded by wealthy conservative benefactors, including billionaire real estate magnate Harlan Crow and Federalist Society founder Leonard Leo.

Ocasio-Cortez’s articles of impeachment against Thomas cite his failure to report gifts and hospitality from Crow, arguing that this undermines the impartiality of the Supreme Court. “His conduct has caused a reasonable person to believe the gifts were offered and accepted in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act,” she wrote, emphasizing that such actions create severe doubts about the justice’s integrity.

The New York representative also pointed to Thomas’s refusal to recuse himself from election-related cases where his wife, Ginni, was reportedly involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. This, Ocasio-Cortez argues, is a blatant violation of federal ethics laws.

In a separate set of articles of impeachment against Alito, Ocasio-Cortez made similar accusations. She noted that symbols associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement were displayed at two of Alito’s residences following the January 6 Capitol riot. Alito attributed these displays to his wife, Martha Ann, but Ocasio-Cortez contends the incidents are enough to question his impartiality.

“Justice Samuel Alito, Jr., has engaged in a pattern of conduct that is incompatible with the trust and confidence placed in him as a justice of the Supreme Court,” she said, stressing his failure to disqualify himself from cases due to personal biases.

Congress holds the exclusive authority to impeach Supreme Court justices. The process mirrors presidential impeachment proceedings, with the House voting on articles of impeachment, followed by a Senate trial. Conviction and removal of a justice require a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

Given the current political landscape, it’s improbable that Ocasio-Cortez’s articles of impeachment will advance in the Republican-led House. The push for accountability, however, continues. Just days prior, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden requested Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate Thomas’s ethical breaches.

For months, House and Senate Democrats have called for a formal code of conduct for Supreme Court justices. Despite the high court adopting ethics standards last year, critics argue these lack enforcement mechanisms. Senate Democrats, spearheaded by Whitehouse and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, have proposed legislation to mandate binding ethical standards for the court. However, efforts to pass such measures have faced resistance from Republicans.

Neither Whitehouse nor Durbin immediately responded to requests for comments on Ocasio-Cortez’s efforts to impeach the justices.