Justice Thomas accepted millions in gifts from right wing mega donor

Page 12 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
30,932
46,403
136
Roberts has declined to attend. Cowardice confirmed.

If you are a religious repug there are different rules for you, be it in Congress or on a bench. I think someone will have to kill a judge or two before they get it in their heads again this is why we have oversight, avenues of redress.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi

Pens1566

Lifer
Oct 11, 2005
13,504
10,949
136
Roberts has declined to attend. Cowardice confirmed.

If you are a religious repug there different rules for you, be it in Congress or on a bench. I think someone will have to kill a judge or two before they get it in their heads again this is why we have oversight, avenues of redress.

And you can't even subpoena him because of Feinstein's staff pulling off "Weekend at Diane's".

The Ds just do not understand how to even begin a political fight. Let alone win one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HomerJS and Pohemi

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
14,359
4,638
136
What the founding fathers didn’t count on was that we’d have a two party system and one party would be anti democratic and have enough power to virtually grind congress to a halt.
I disagree with that. The two-party system formed almost instantly. Before we even had the Bill of Rights, we had a two-party system. By the second election the parties had formed. Never in America's history has a third party lasted more than 2 election cycles, and always causing the party that they are most associated with (usually the one they split apart from, and most often the conservative party) to lose massively to the opposition party. One of the very first parties was Hamilton's Federalist Party, who were literally anti-democratic preferring instead a strong centralized government that more resembled European monarchies.
 

ivwshane

Lifer
May 15, 2000
33,385
16,784
136
I disagree with that. The two-party system formed almost instantly. Before we even had the Bill of Rights, we had a two-party system. By the second election the parties had formed. Never in America's history has a third party lasted more than 2 election cycles, and always causing the party that they are most associated with (usually the one they split apart from, and most often the conservative party) to lose massively to the opposition party. One of the very first parties was Hamilton's Federalist Party, who were literally anti-democratic preferring instead a strong centralized government that more resembled European monarchies.

Just to be clear, my point wasn’t that only two parties would exist, it’s that one of the two parties would be willing to grind government to halt.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: feralkid and Pohemi

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,417
33,001
136
I disagree with that. The two-party system formed almost instantly. Before we even had the Bill of Rights, we had a two-party system. By the second election the parties had formed. Never in America's history has a third party lasted more than 2 election cycles, and always causing the party that they are most associated with (usually the one they split apart from, and most often the conservative party) to lose massively to the opposition party. One of the very first parties was Hamilton's Federalist Party, who were literally anti-democratic preferring instead a strong centralized government that more resembled European monarchies.
I agree. What the framers didn't put into the Constitution was the Senate filibuster with the supermajority override requirement. That is purely a contrivance of the Senate and is toxic to democracy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ivwshane and Pohemi

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,837
2,621
136
I disagree with that. The two-party system formed almost instantly. Before we even had the Bill of Rights, we had a two-party system. By the second election the parties had formed. Never in America's history has a third party lasted more than 2 election cycles, and always causing the party that they are most associated with (usually the one they split apart from, and most often the conservative party) to lose massively to the opposition party. One of the very first parties was Hamilton's Federalist Party, who were literally anti-democratic preferring instead a strong centralized government that more resembled European monarchies.
Don't forget that George Washington was-by far-the most widely known and influential founding father and one of his major philosophical positions was that political parties were poison. While I agree with Washington in principle, as you pointed out Washington was doomed to fail on that point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hal2kilo

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
38,870
31,958
136
Wanna read something funny? Part of the engine that is the right wing media echo chamber you have to find someone to write an article defending anything so more widespread media outlets can quote it. Basically how their propaganda spreads. They found a writer to defend Uncle Clarence and his corruption. Turns out this writer attended one of these trips. The circle of corruption is complete.

 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
26,060
24,367
136
Due to various reasons, the SC at this point is an illegitimate kangaroo court, thanks to the GQP stealing seats, it's rulings based nothing in law but based in feels, and the conservative justices clear and present corruption.

Between getting shot at any given moment in this country and having a mockery as your top judicial court in these parts, we have entered shithole nation status.

Thanks Repubs!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi and hal2kilo

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
30,932
46,403
136
PPi54vX.png


But he's allowed to have friends people! But but, Alito wants to talk about who might have leaked the decision. We need a real Congress to impeach and remove this fool, SCOTUS is cartoonishly corrupt.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,111
45,108
136
can't see anything there, but I'm guessing this is about Crow paying for Thomas's adoptive son's private boarding school tuition of about several $100k?

Yeah. Twitter generates broken links a lot of the time for me now.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
38,870
31,958
136
Here's the link:
https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-private-school-tuition-scotus

I mean come on ... how obvious does this have to get, delivering him briefcases full of cash DURING a SCOTUS hearing on camera?
Must be nice to have a Sugar Daddy funding Pubs in SCOTUS. Corruption runs deep with the Roberts court.

I would be in favor of expanding the court but how do you stop the cycle of adding justices if Republicans take over the WH and Senate?

Still think defunding is an option. Show those corrupt fucks they are not a Star Chamber. Accountability is one of the ingredients needed for this Democracy to work. At a minimum, until they can take action, NO funding increases for the foreseeable future.

Republicans complained Dems are just going after Thomas and claimed RBG and Sotomayor took trips. Let's see a breakdown of all contributions to all justices so we can evaluate. I doubt Jackson has been there long enough to line her pockets, but I could be wrong.

Here's something they could try. Issue a request to the newest members of the court separately. Jackson and ACB. Maybe one of them since they are so new will feel a tinge of responsibility to the country and show up. I doubt that works so the next step is a subpoena from Congress to Roberts.

At the same time send letters of referral from Congress to DOJ to investigate if Thomas has violated any laws which I think is likely.
 
Last edited:

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
14,359
4,638
136
I mean come on ... how obvious does this have to get, delivering him briefcases full of cash DURING a SCOTUS hearing on camera?
Soon oral arguments will be bidding wars.

Lawyer: let's just cut to the chase, my firm is prepared to pay each of you 1 million dollars to vote for our side to win.

Thomas: That is a very convincing argument, but we need to hear what the other side offers, and then check the bids from the amicus briefs. Just as a note of order, I personally would really like a two-week vacation in the Maldives.
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
25,818
15,286
136
Hahahahahahahaha



That is hysterical 😭.
I mean. Why wouldnt you run drugs in the US? Crime is the MO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,144
12,571
136
Must be nice to have a Sugar Daddy funding Pubs in SCOTUS. Corruption runs deep with the Roberts court.

I would be in favor of expanding the court but how do you stop the cycle of adding justices if Republicans take over the WH and Senate?

Still think defunding is an option. Show those corrupt fucks they are not a Star Chamber. Accountability is one of the ingredients needed for this Democracy to work. Until they can take action, NO funding increases for the foreseeable future.

Republicans complained Dems are just going after Thomas and claimed RBG and Sotomayor took trips. Let's see a breakdown of all contributions to all justices so we can evaluate. I doubt Jackson has been there long enough to line her pockets, but I could be wrong.

Here's something they could try. Issue a request to the newest members of the court separately. Jackson and ACB. Maybe one of them since they are so new will feel a tinge of responsibility to the country and show up. I doubt that works so the next step is a subpoena from Congress to Roberts.

At the same time send letters of referral from Congress to DOJ to investigate if Thomas has violated any laws which I think is likely.
You go "nuclear". Pack the shit out of the courts. Add 1000 justices if you need to. now pubs have to add at least as many for a 50/50 court split.

Or as the saying from untouchables goes "when they send one of yours in the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue"

At some point, expanding the courts further becomes impractical for both sides. The "game" becomes so onerous that no one wants to play anymore, so now you can start fresh with (hopefully) good faith discussions about what things should look like
 
  • Like
Reactions: Meghan54 and Pohemi

Pens1566

Lifer
Oct 11, 2005
13,504
10,949
136
Nothing that requires legislative action will happen until at least early '25, and that hinges on Ds retaining the POTUS (probable), senate (iffy, toss up), and retaking the house (who the fuck knows). And likely some creative skirting of the #s/votes in the senate due to filibuster rules. This means packing, enforced ethics requirements, funding cuts, impeachments are all but off the table.

So what does that leave us? Referral to DOJ for obvious cases like this one. Executive ignoring rulings outright. I say do both. Can't go another 2 years with nothing done to limit this shit.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
38,870
31,958
136
You go "nuclear". Pack the shit out of the courts. Add 1000 justices if you need to. now pubs have to add at least as many for a 50/50 court split.

Or as the saying from untouchables goes "when they send one of yours in the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue"

At some point, expanding the courts further becomes impractical for both sides. The "game" becomes so onerous that no one wants to play anymore, so now you can start fresh with (hopefully) good faith discussions about what things should look like
I had an idea of expanding the court to 12 with equal representation. This would force more decisions based on the merits of the case because at some point a justice would have to vote against their own ideology. Court has a big ego and they wouldn't like a lot of ties so it would incentivize them to come to consensus.

Also no more picking their own cases. Makes it too easy to push an agenda.

No more shadow dockets maybe with an exception stays of execution.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
26,060
24,367
136
I don't see any will, let alone ability, of the Dems to pack the court. It's not happening.