The chair of the Democratic-led U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has taken action in an ethics inquiry, issuing a subpoena to influential conservative legal figure Leonard Leo.
This development stems from reports suggesting undisclosed financial support directed towards certain conservative Supreme Court justices.
Late in 2023, the Supreme Court introduced its inaugural formal code of conduct, seeking to regulate the ethical conduct of its justices. This move followed mounting pressure due to revelations of undisclosed luxury trips and interactions with wealthy benefactors.
The Judiciary Committee’s decision to subpoena Leo, a prominent figure linked to compiling former President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee list, signals intensifying tensions.
During the committee meeting where the subpoena was authorized, Republican senators walked out in protest, alleging procedural violations.
Committee chair Dick Durbin highlighted Leo’s refusal to cooperate with oversight requests since July 2023. Durbin emphasized Leo’s alleged central role in the ethics crisis surrounding the Supreme Court and criticized his stonewalling of the committee’s inquiries.
Leo labeled the subpoena as “unlawful and politically motivated,” asserting that he would not comply with it.
His lawyer echoed this sentiment in a letter to Durbin. Meanwhile, the committee’s Republican minority spokesperson, Taylor Reidy, deemed the subpoena “invalid.”
If Leo fails to comply, Democrats would require 60 votes in the Senate to initiate civil enforcement action. This process entails garnering support from some Republicans, given the Democrats’ narrow majority in the chamber.
Democrats could refer the matter to the U.S. Justice Department, which may opt for criminal contempt proceedings against the subpoena recipients.
