Senate Democrats ask Garland to name special counsel to investigate Clarence Thomas
CBSN
Washington — A pair of Senate Democrats have asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to look into whether Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas violated any federal tax or ethics laws when he accepted travel and lodging from wealthy benefactors.
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Ron Wyden of Oregon told Garland in a letter dated July 3 and made public Tuesday that Senate investigations and public reporting have revealed evidence of allegedly "repeated and willful" omissions of gifts and income from Thomas' annual financial disclosure reports.
The two Democrats claimed that the extent of the justice's potential ethics violations exceeds conduct from other federal officials who have been investigated by the Justice Department for similar actions.
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