Conservative activist Leonard Leo has been subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee associated to an investigation into Supreme Court ethics in what he phone calls a “politically determined” go that he will not abide by.
“Today, I acquired an illegal and politically motivated subpoena from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin,” Leo said in a statement on Thursday.
“I am not capitulating to his lawless assistance of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and the left’s dark revenue energy to silence and terminate political opposition.”
Leo was subpoenaed by the committee in what is the latest again and forth involving Senate Democrats and Leo as the Senate has continued summoning details concerning trips and occasions that Supreme Court justices have taken and participated in in excess of the many years.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Sick., left, and Leonard Leo. (Getty Photos)
For a long time, Leo has been a aspect of the Federalist Culture, which has prolonged been criticized by liberal activists for its involvement in aiding suggest and lobby former President Donald Trump via the nominations of Supreme Court docket Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
The senators have previously questioned for an itemized listing of presents and payments from Leo or teams he is connected with dating back again a long time and relevant to any Supreme Court justice he has related with amid community outcry from Democrats accusing Supreme Court docket Justice Clarence Thomas of ethics violations, which have been dismissed by a lot of as politically inspired.
In a Thursday letter to Durbin, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary, Leo’s attorney David Rivkin Jr., reiterated Leo is “not complying” with the “unlawful and politically inspired subpoena.”
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Sick., attends a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine Texas’ abortion legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 29, 2021. (Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Pictures)
The senators’ demands stem from ProPublica’s reporting on the travel behaviors of Justices Thomas and Alito. Particularly, ProPublica reported on an Alaskan fishing journey that Justice Alito took with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, who would later on have organization matters in advance of the large courtroom.
Conservatives have greatly criticized the exertion by pointing out that a lot of of the “specialists” cited in the a variety of reviews have undisclosed ties to Democratic causes.
The committee has also formerly licensed a probable subpoena for GOP donor Harlan Crow linked to gifts he gave Thomas and termed the two subpoenas “key parts of our legislative energy to build an helpful code of carry out” for the Supreme Court docket.
Conservatives have named out ProPublica for getting principally funded by companies and donors who assist liberal results in, which includes court-packing and eradicating conservative justices from the court.
Alito has defended himself towards ProPublica’s reporting, and Leo has unveiled a assertion dismissing the thought that the fishing vacation was in some way retained from the public.
“By selectively targeting Mr. Leo for investigation on a politically charged foundation, although disregarding other prospective sources of details on the asserted topic of fascination who are similarly situated to Mr. Leo but have distinctive political sights that are far more constant with these of the Committee the vast majority, your inquiry appears to be political retaliation in opposition to a non-public citizen in violation of the First Modification,” Rivkin beforehand wrote to the committee.
SCHUMER BLASTS SUPREME COURT’S NEW ETHICS CODE FOR One ‘GLARING OMISSION’
Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Basis in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 21, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Photos)
Leo and his legal team have also pointed out that visits taken by previous Supreme Court docket Justice Stephen Breyer and income gained by late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have not resulted in inquiries from the committee.
“Considering the fact that July 2023, Leonard Leo has responded to the genuine oversight requests of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a blanket refusal to cooperate,” Durbin advised Fox Information Electronic in a statement.
“His outright defiance remaining the Committee with no other option but to transfer ahead with the compulsory process. For that explanation, I have issued a subpoena to Mr. Leo.”
The statement continued: “Mr. Leo has played a central part in the ethics crisis plaguing the Supreme Court docket and, as opposed to the other recipients of details requests in this make any difference, he has done nothing at all but stonewall the Committee. This subpoena is a direct final result of Mr. Leo’s possess steps and options.”
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The U.S. Supreme Court. (AP Image/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
An aide for Durbin advised Fox Information Electronic that whilst the senator “certainly expects the subject to acknowledge the gravity of a congressional subpoena,” there are “solutions out there to the Senate to enforce a subpoena in the event of noncompliance.”
Fox News Digital attained out to the White House for comment but did not instantly get a reaction.
In November, the Supreme Court adopted a modified ethics code in response to tension from Durbin’s committee and some others.
