OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Durbin Unveils Intended Motion For Subpoena Authorization At Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting

Press Release

Date: Nov. 2, 2023
Location: Washington, D.C.
Issues: Judicial Branch

"I am not requesting this authorization lightly. Over the past several months, story after story has emerged about lavish gifts and luxury trips that Supreme Court justices have accepted and failed to disclose. For many months, the Committee has sought the voluntary cooperation of individuals and organizations who were reportedly involved in these incidents. While several have cooperated with the Committee's investigation, Leonard Leo and Robin Arkley have outright stonewalled us … Harlan Crow initially claimed he was willing to engage with the Committee, but he ultimately refused to negotiate beyond a limited offer that was completely insufficient.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Republicans voted for a blanket authorization to subpoena more than 50 named persons and an unlimited number of unnamed persons when there had been no prior outreach to the vast majority of these individuals and the Justice Department was voluntarily providing responsive information to the Committee. Unlike that unprecedented authorization, in this case the Committee is only pursuing compulsory process with respect to individuals who are refusing to comply with a legitimate oversight inquiry when the Committee has exhausted its other options.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

This Committee cannot sit idly by and ignore our constitutional duty to conduct oversight over the judiciary when the American people's confidence in the Supreme Court has fallen to record lows … Likewise, this Committee cannot allow Mr. Leo, Mr. Arkley, and Mr. Crow's baseless arguments to thwart our constitutional authority and the Senate's institutional prerogatives. They are not bit players in this crisis, and the information they hold is critical to understanding how individuals and groups with business before the Court gain private access to the justices. This Committee is lawfully entitled to the information we have requested and that is why I have asked the Committee to authorize subpoenas with respect to this investigation."


Source
arrow_upward