The looming Supreme Court confirmation hearings hang heavy in the air as Democrats prepare to unearth any potential conflicts of interest on part of the justices. In light of the Republican-controlled Senate’s attempts to quickly push through Neil Gorsuch’s nomination, the minority party has promised to ensure strict scrutiny of this – and any future – nominees. To ensure a thorough examination, the Democrats have decided to take their analysis to a whole new level.
With the support of ranking member of the Judiciary Committee Dianne Feinstein, Senators Coons and Blumenthal have announced their intention to subpoena major campaign donors and wealthy benefactors of Supreme Court justices. As argued by Mrs. Feinstein, “it is essential that this inquiry do everything possible to get to the bottom of any potential conflict of interest.” This includes any and all potential allies of the Justices, if their financial support may create bias when ruling on cases.
The Democratic party is particularly concerned about the potential influence of shadowy organizations such as the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation. These “think tanks” offer ideological guidance to the individual justices, and have been linked to the GOP’s subsequent selection of Breyer, Scalia, and Kennedy in the early 1990’s. The Democrats believe that a more thorough examination of any financial or political ties between the Supreme Court justices and these groups is necessary.
The Republicans have pointed out that this plan attempts to politicize the highest office of the court for partisan gain. But the Democrats insist that given the current deadline of Gorsuch’s confirmation, the extra week of questioning and background checks should prove invaluable.
While the subpoena of wealthy benefactors is by no means a new concept – former Justices such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg have long been criticized for their own connections to notorious opponents and campaigners – this is the first time such a proposal has been put into action. As the debate continues, each side claims to be protecting the honor of the Supreme Court and the Justices that serve on it. Only time will tell if the Democrats plan is successful in its mission.