House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was asked Thursday about the ongoing ethics controversy surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas, including the calls for him to recuse himself, or be impeached.
Pelosi said she doesn't think Thomas "ever should've been appointed," but does believe the Supreme Court should build a code of ethics, as is outlined in H.R. 1. "Really? It's the Supreme Court of the United States, they're making judgments about the air we breathe ... and we don't even know what their ethical standard is?"
"Why should they have lower standards than members of Congress in terms of reporting and the rest?" the speaker continued.
She declined to clearly comment on whether she believes Thomas should resign. The justice and his wife Virginia "Ginni" Thomas have recently come under fire after it was revealed Ginni Thomas had repeatedly messaged then-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to urge him to somehow overturn the 2020 election. She has also admitted to attending the "Stop the Steal" rally that preceded the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, but denied having any hand in organizing it.
Pelosi on Thursday also suggested "that a House committee may have a hearing on the code of conduct issue soon," though she did not elaborate further, The Washington Post notes. H.R. 1, the For the People Act, has narrowly passed the House but is unlikely to clear the Senate as it stands.
"I've heard people say from time to time, 'Well, it's a personal decision of a judge as to whether he should recuse himself,'" Pelosi went on. "Well if you're wife is an admitted and proud contributor to a coup of our country, maybe you should weigh that in your ethical standards."
