CPDA, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DEMAND JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS’ IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 19, 2023

Contact: danielle@newheightscommunications.com

WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Reps. Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL) joined speakers from the Center for Popular Democracy Action, Alliance for Justice, Demand Progress, Demand Justice, Move On Political Action, End Citizens United/Let America Vote, People for the American Way, League of Conservation Voters and CPD affiliates Make the Road Action, Rights and Democracy, and Texas Organizing Project at the United States Capitol on Wednesday, April 19 to call for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' resignation. 

Recent news revealed a decades' worth of luxury gifts accepted by Justice Thomas from GOP Texas billionaire Harlan Crow. These egregious ethical breaches compromise the Supreme Court and require accountability from Justice Thomas and his wife, Ginni Thomas.

“We deserve Justices who won’t serve their personal and political interests but those of all citizens. Today we at the Center for Popular Democracy, our affiliates, partners, and Congressional friends demand a mandatory code of ethics for justices, transparency and recusals in conflicts of interests, stock divestiture, and other Supreme Court reforms,” Center for Popular Democracy Action’s co-executive director Analilia Mejia said. “So, here and now, we call for Clarence Thomas’ to resign for ongoing and brazen violations of ethics and betraying the public trust while a sitting Justice on the United States Supreme Court.”

“There is too much on the line – for Texans, for all Americans, and particularly for Black and Latino communities – to let Justice Thomas be bought by the far-right and stay on the Supreme Court,” said Brianna Brown, co-executive director of Texas Organizing Project. “Public trust in Justice Thomas has been compromised since day one. We are beyond Justice Thomas amending his financial disclosures. Amendments to financial disclosures do nothing to address the calculated, intentional deception that has become a distinctive marker of his judgment.  He must resign.”

“When the news about Justice Thomas broke I can’t say I was surprised. Thomas has undermined the rule of law time and time again. Republican hypocrisy knows no bounds because it’s not hypocrisy. They want to control people like me, Latinx, queer and immigrant, and erase us,” said Ale Gomez, National Political Director, Make the Road Action. “If the Supreme Court is the highest court in this country, justices should be held to the same standard as our communities are, if not higher. It’s time for Thomas to resign and to appoint a Justice who will serve all the people in this country and not just greedy CEOs and corporations.”

"We have a Supreme Court Justice that is leaving a permanent stain to the word accountability.” said Sebastian Fuentes, Movement Politics Director, Rights and Democracy. “Receiving gifts from a billionaire Nazi memorabilia aficionado is beyond problematic. Justice Thomas needs to resign, otherwise the word Justice will be just words used without a deep meaning. Accountability is necessary yesterday, today and tomorrow. For all Justices. All of them."

Photographs and videos of the event can be found here and are available for media use. 

The live stream of the press conference can be found here.

Quotes from all partner organizations that spoke at the conference are linked here.

Representatives from the Center for Popular Democracy Action, Make the Road Action, Rights and Democracy, and Texas Organizing Project are available for interviews.

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The Center for Popular Democracy Action works to create equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with high-impact base-building organizations, organizing alliances, and progressive unions. We work on campaigns that promote a pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial and economic justice agenda and win victories to improve people’s lives.