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The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking steps to issue subpoenas for Clarence Thomas’s Republican financial backers, citing what they describe as a troubling ethical atmosphere in the U.S. Supreme Court. According to the committee, there have been instances where justices fraternized with wealthy individuals who have vested interests before the Court, such as accepting gifts like private school tuition for family members or traveling on private jets and yachts.

Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin, stated that the committee is preparing to vote on issuing these subpoenas due to the reluctance of these donors to voluntarily appear before the committee. Among the donors targeted are Texas real-estate tycoon Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, who formerly served as an advisor during the Trump administration, and Robin Arkley II, who has allegedly provided luxury trips to other Supreme Court justices as well.

The committee, with a Democratic majority, is likely to secure the votes necessary to issue the subpoenas. In a previous disclosure, Justice Thomas admitted to taking three trips on Crow’s private plane last year, but did not divulge any other instances of such hospitality. Thomas has maintained that he consulted with colleagues and legal experts early in his tenure and was advised that accepting gifts from close personal friends who had no business before the Court was not a reportable matter.

Senators Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse, who chairs a subcommittee on federal courts, issued a joint statement, proclaiming that the Supreme Court faces an ethical quandary of its own creation. They also criticized Leo and Arkley for failing to cooperate with their inquiry.

In an effort to shed light on the matter, the senators had sent multiple queries to Crow and his holding companies, which own his jet, yacht, and a sprawling estate in upstate New York, where Thomas has been a frequent visitor. However, their efforts have so far been stonewalled.

They insist that this situation necessitates a more robust ethical framework for the Supreme Court. As part of this, the committee had earlier forwarded the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act to the full Senate for consideration. The legislation aims to establish a code of conduct for justices, instate an investigation mechanism for potential violations, and improve transparency, among other provisions. Durbin and Whitehouse have been advocating for such measures for over a decade.

The senators further emphasized that the uncooperative stance of the donors undermines the committee’s constitutional oversight role, thereby compelling them to resort to subpoenas. This development ramps up the pressure on Justice Thomas, who already faces scrutiny for his relationships with wealthy Republican donors, as revealed by investigations from ProPublica and others.