Senate Judiciary Committee Issues Subpoena in Ethics Probe

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has issued a subpoena to Leonard Leo, co-chair of the Federalist Society, as part of an ethics investigation into undisclosed gifts to conservative Supreme Court justices.

This move follows reports that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito accepted, but did not disclose, luxury gifts and travel trips. The subpoena was issued after the committee voted to subpoena both Leo and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow. Leo has called the subpoena “politically motivated” and “unlawful,” and his lawyer, David Rivkin, stated that Leo is “not complying” with the subpoena.