Booker Statement on Report of Justice Clarence Thomas’ Acceptance of Undisclosed Luxury Gifts From Republican Megadonors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after a report that Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted 20 years’ worth of undisclosed gifts from Republican megadonors:

“All federal judges, except those who sit on the Supreme Court, must follow a code of conduct to ensure they are free from conflicts of interest and embody the highest ethical behavior we expect from federal jurists. There is no reason that the justices who sit on the highest court in the country should continue to be held to ethical standards that are lower than those of any employee of our federal government. Today’s report about Justice Thomas’ failure to disclose extravagant travel and gifts raises serious questions about potential conflicts. It underscores why we must implement a binding, enforceable code of conduct for the Supreme Court. Americans deserve a Supreme Court that is beyond reproach, commands respect, and does not undermine people’s faith in our justice system.”