Pelosi: ‘Shameful’ that Alito, Thomas so ‘cavalier’ about ethics

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday that it was “shameful” that Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas are so “cavalier” about ethics.

“Well, I think they have the opportunity to write some ethics rules for themselves. And that’s what the chief justice said we can do it ourselves. I see no action being taken there. But nonetheless, that’s what they say,” she said on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki.”

“But I give credit to Senator [Sheldon] Whitehouse (D-R.I.), with the majority in the Senate, he is able to point out what needs to be done to have integrity on the court. Integrity on the court. It’s shameful how Thomas, Justice Thomas and Justice Alito, have been so cavalier about their violations,” she added.

When asked what reforms could be taken in response to recent reporting, Pelosi also said there should be term limits for the justices and additional ethics rules they should follow.

Pelosi’s comments on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki” come as Alito and Thomas are facing intensifying scrutiny over allegations of ethical misconduct. Alito became the latest justice to face criticism over such conduct last week, after he admitted in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he accepted a seat on the private plane paid for by billionaire hedge fund owner Paul Singer, who is a major GOP donor.

He also admitted in the op-ed, which was published ahead of a ProPublica report on the incident, to later participating in several cases where a subsidiary of Singer’s fund was a party.

Thomas has also been facing criticism after a ProPublica report found that Harlan Crow, who has donated millions to conservative causes, paid for the justice to join multiple vacations of his, including trips on Harlan’s private jet and 162-foot yacht.