Jordan‘s Focusโฃ on Trump Raises Questions as Thomas Ethics Concerns Goโค Unaddressed
WASHINGTON – โขWhile โthe Senate Judiciary Committee moves toโ address ethical questions surrounding Supremeโ Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the house Judiciary Committee,โฃ now led โฃby Representative Jim Jordan,โค has conspicuously shifted its โfocus to investigations benefiting former President Donald โคTrump, prompting criticism thatโ the โcommittee is prioritizing partisan loyalty over its statedโ roleโ as “theโ lawyer for the House of Representatives.”
The โคcontrastโฃ in โขapproachesโ comes โขas reporting continues to surface regarding financial dealings between Justice Thomas and Harlan Crow, raising concernsโ about potential conflictsโ of interest. In response,โ the Senate โJudiciaryโข Committee announced plans for a hearing “on the need to restore confidence in the Supreme โฃCourt’s ethical standards,” and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Hank Johnson have formally requested a referral of Thomas to the Attorney General for potentialโฃ violations of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
However, the House โคJanuary 6 committee’s report identified Jordanโ as “aโค meaningful player in โฃPresident Trump’s efforts” to overturn the 2020โข election. โThe report detailed Jordan’s involvement,โ including โฃleading a conference call on January 2, 2021, with Trump and other โขmembers of Congress to discuss strategies forโ delaying the Januaryโค 6th jointโ session. Despite a subpoena, Jordan refused to cooperate with the January 6โ committee’s investigation.
Thisโ history has led to accusations that under Jordan, theโข House Judiciary Committee is nowโ functioning as “the lawyer for Donald โคJ. Trump,” with taxpayers footing the bill for investigations aligned โขwith the former president’s interests whileโฃ legitimate ethical concerns regarding a Supreme courtโข Justice appear to beโข sidelined.
