Durbin Highlights the Supreme Court's Ethical Crisis on the Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about the urgent need for Supreme Court ethics reform following President Biden’s newly-released proposal to reform the Supreme Court. 

“No other federal judge could get by with what Clarence Thomas did to receive millions of dollars’ worth of travel and gifts and not report them publicly.  I don't accept that as routine.  I think it is an aberration and reflects poorly on the Court and its integrity.  It is time for change.  President Biden is saying that today.  I'll study his detailed suggestion, but I certainly agree with him that the nine people serving on the U.S. Supreme Court should not be treated differently than any other federal judges when it comes to transparency and accountability for their actions,” said Durbin.

“If the Court is going to have any credibility when it comes to its integrity, it must reflect that in its actions.  Receiving and failing to report gifts of that magnitude is an embarrassment to the whole nation.  The Republicans should get on board [and join] the bipartisan effort.  We passed an ethics bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It was authored by Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island.  It's pending on the calendar.   It should be called this year—the sooner the better.  An ethics code on the Supreme Court that applies the same standards, laws, and procedures to the highest court in the land as we apply to every other agency of government, including every other court,” Durbin continued.

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

Durbin previously announced that the Judiciary Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the impact of the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision in September.

Durbin has repeatedly called for the passage of the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act, legislation that the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced last July. The bill would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding code of conduct, create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws, improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.

Last month, Durbin revealed omissions of gifted private travel to Justice Clarence Thomas from Harlan Crow in exclusively obtained information as a result of the Committee’s ethics investigation and subpoena authorization.

Durbin has been calling on the Supreme Court to adopt an enforceable code of conduct for more than a decade. He first sent a letter to the Chief Justice on this issue more than 12 years ago. 

For full background on Durbin and the Senate Judiciary Committee’s efforts to deliver Supreme Court ethics reform for the American people and their ongoing investigation into the Supreme Court’s ethical crisis, visit this page that includes a timeline, releases, correspondence, and information on the SCERT Act.

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