HEARING TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE
FLAGRANTLY UNETHICAL AND POSSIBLE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES,
POSSIBLE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES,
YOUR COMMITTEE HASN'T EVEN
INVITED THOMAS, LET ALONE
SUBPOENAED HIM.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHY A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE FOR THOSE FRUSTRATED
WITH YOUR PARTY SOMETIMES?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND I SPEND A LOT OF TIME
SHARING THAT FRUSTRATION. BUT
WE ARE WORKING FOR BOTH THROUGH
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND
THROUGH THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
ON INVESTIGATIVE PLAN AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN TO
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.
THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE.
WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS
ALITO TRAVEL UNTIL PROPUBLICA
BROKE IT.
I'M SURE THERE IS A LOT MORE IN
THE WAY OF TRAVEL AS GIFTS FROM
BILLIONAIRES TO FEDERALIST
SOCIETY JUSTICES.
WE NEED TO DIG INTO THIS AND
DIG INTO IT HARD AND WE NEED TO
SUBPOENA RECORDS WHERE WE NEED
TO FIND THEM BUT YOU DON'T
NECESSARILY START AT THE END
WITH THE JUSTICE HIMSELF, YOU
VERY OFTEN WANT TO DO AN
INVESTIGATIVE STRATEGY, THE
EVIDENCE BUILDING JUST THE WAY
A PROSECUTOR WENT SO THAT WHEN
YOU ARE READY TO SIT DOWN WITH
THE PRINCIPAL, YOU ARE FULLY PREPARED FOR THAT EXCHANGE.
PREPARED FOR THAT EXCHANGE.
>> NUMBER 1 YOU ALREADY DID
WRITE A LETTER TO JOHN ROBERTS,
HE IGNORED IT AND SAID I'M NOT
COMING SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU
HAVEN'T SHOWED INTEREST, THE
ISSUE IS ARE YOU GOING TO FORCE
HIM AND THE SECOND THING I
WOULD SAY IS, AT SOME POINT,
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOUR COMMITTEE WILL TRY AND GET
COMMITTEE WILL TRY AND GET
ALITO AND THOMAS IN FRONT OF A
HEARING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN
HEAR.
>> WE ARE A COMMITTEE.
I'M NOT THE CHAIRMAN AND WE
HAVE A NARROW MAJORITY ON THE
COMMITTEE.
SO I CAN'T PREDICT WHAT OTHERS
WILL DO.
BUT WHAT I CAN ASSURE YOU OF IS
THAT WE TAKE THIS VERY
SERIOUSLY AND I'M DETERMINED TO
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT TOOK
PLACE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE
COURT IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS
MISBEHAVIOR.
>> FEEL FREE NOT TO SPEAK FOR
THE COMMITTEE.
DOES SHELDON WHITEHOUSE WANT TO
SEE ALITO AND THOMAS IN THE
SENATE IN FRONT OF YOUR COMPANY
SO THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN
HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON?
>> VERY MUCH, PARTICULARLY ONCE
WE ARE WELL PREPARED FOR THAT.
>> AS I NOTED IN MY MONOLOGUE
THE SUPREME COURT HAS
ESSENTIALLY BECOME A GROUP OF
POLITICIANS IN ROBES MAKING IT
MORE DIFFICULT TO PASS GUN CONTROL, THEY ARE LEGISLATING
CONTROL, THEY ARE LEGISLATING
FROM THE BENCH WHICH IS WHAT
REPUBLICANS USED TO SAY IS
WRONG FOR JUSTICES TO DO.
ISN'T THIS A CRISIS OF THE
PEOPLE'S WILL AND THE PEOPLE'S
REPRESENTATIVES BEING DEFINED
BY CLEARLY BIASED JUSTICES?
>> THE ETHICS PROBLEMS THAT WE
ARE SEEING CONNECT TO RIGHT-
WING DARK MONEY BILLIONAIRES.
AND WHAT ALSO CONNECTS IS THE
FEDERALIST SOCIETY LEFT THAT
GOT THREE OF THESE JUDGES
APPOINTED BY TRUMP, THE CRISIS
NETWORK ADVERTISEMENTS THAT
WERE PROPAGATED ALL ACROSS THE
TELEVISION TO CAMPAIGN FOR
THESE JUSTICES CONFIRMATIONS,
THE FUNDING OF REPUBLICAN
SENATORS AND MITCH McCONNELL'S
OPERATIONS AND FLOTILLAS OF
TREES FROM FRONT GROUPS THAT
ARE PUT BEFORE THESE GROUPS TO
TELL THEM WHAT IT IS THE RIGHT
WING BILLIONAIRES ONE, SO THE
ETHICS PIECE IS ONE TRANCHE OF
A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM OF DARK
MONEY BILLIONAIRE INFLUENCE
WHICH IS WHY I CALL THIS THE
COURT THAT DARK MONEY BUILD.
>> SO IT'S A COURT THAT DARK
MONEY BUILD BUT ALSO A COURT
THAT DEMOCRATS COULD TRY AND
REBUILD, THEY COULD REBALANCE,
THEY COULD TRY AND EXPAND.
IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS SINCE
JUSTICES APPOINTED BY
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS HAD A MAJORITY ON THE COURT AND A NEW
MAJORITY ON THE COURT AND A NEW
ANALYSIS SUGGEST THAT
CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES WILL
CONTROL THE COURT FOR AT LEAST
THE NEXT THREE DECADES.
SO THAT'S 50 YEARS SINCE YOU'VE
HAD CONTROL.
ANOTHER 30 YEARS SINCE YOU
COULD GET BACK CONTROL.
WHY NOT TRY AND EXPAND THE
COURT NOW.
I'VE ASKED YOU THIS BEFORE AND
EVERY TIME I ASK YOU SAY, NOW
IS NOT THE TIME.
WHEN IS THE TIME, SENATOR, IF
NOT NOW, WHEN?
>> NOW IS COMPLETELY
UNREALISTIC BECAUSE THERE'S A
FELLOW OVER IN THE HOUSE WHO HOLDS THE SPEAKER'S GAVEL WHOSE
HOLDS THE SPEAKER'S GAVEL WHOSE
NAME IS KEVIN McCARTHY AND THE
BIG BILLION DOLLAR DONORS THAT
POP UP THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE
NEVER GOING TO LET HIM PASS A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT
EXPANDED THE COURT.
SO I HAVE TO WORK IN THE REALM
OF THE POSSIBLE AND UNLESS YOU
HAVE SOME MAGIC SPELL THAT CAN
BE PASSED ON KEVIN McCARTHY --
>> HOLD ON, HOLD ON, ON THAT
BASIS YOU CAN'T PROPOSE ANY
LEGISLATION BECAUSE McCARTHY
WOULD BLOCK IT ALL.
I'M SAYING YOU GO INTO THE NEXT
ELECTION SAYING THIS IS ONE OF
THE PROPOSALS WE WILL DO IF YOU
GIVE US CONTROL OF CONGRESS.
>> I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY
PRETTY REASONABLE PROPOSITION TO TAKE BEFORE THE VOTERS.
TO TAKE BEFORE THE VOTERS.
FOR SURE, TERM LIMITS ARE
WIDELY ACCEPTED AND IT'S A GOOD
IDEA TO TAKE BEFORE THE VOTERS
AND ALL OF THIS ETHICS AND
TRANSPARENCY MASS INCLUDING THE
MASS OF THESE FAKE FRONT GROUPS
THAT ARE APPEARING BEFORE THE
COURT ON BEHALF OF THE
BILLIONAIRES, THOSE ARE
TERRIFIC ISSUES TO TAKE BEFORE
THE VOTERS.
SO YES, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT
WE NEED TO MAKE THIS AN ISSUE
IN THE 2024 ELECTION AND LITTLE
BY LITTLE PARTICULARLY AFTER
THE DOBBS DECISION, VOTERS ARE
BECOMING TO SEE THE SUPREME
COURT IS IN SOME FARAWAY THING,
IT'S AFFECTING THEIR PERSONAL
LIVES AND IT'S IN WAYS THAT
THEY DON'T LIKE AND THE
EXPLANATION FOR WHAT'S
HAPPENING IS NOT A GOOD ONE.
IT'S AN EXPLANATION OF DARK
MONEY INFLUENCE.
>> THIS MONTH THE SENATE
CONFIRMED TO LAWYERS TO THE
BENCH, THE FIRST MUSLIM FEMALE
JUDGE AS WELL AS DALE HOGUE BUT
AT THE SAME TIME, ISN'T THE
BLUE SLIP TRADITION WHICH ALLOWS SENATORS AND REPUBLICAN
ALLOWS SENATORS AND REPUBLICAN
SENATORS ESPECIALLY TO VETO
ADDITIONAL NOMINEES FROM THEIR
HOME STATE SLOWING DOWN THE
CONFIRMATION PROCESS, ISN'T
THAT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
SCRAPPED?
>> IT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED.
BEAR IN MIND THAT BECAUSE OF
POPULATION, THERE ARE A LOT
MORE DISTRICT COURT SEATS THAT
ARE CONTROLLED BY DEMOCRATIC
SENATORS WHERE WE GET TO DECIDE
BECAUSE OF THE BLUE SLIP WHO
GETS APPOINTED TO THAT POSITION
THAN THERE ARE REPUBLICAN-
CONTROLLED SEATS WHERE
REPUBLICAN SENATOR GETS TO
RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT.
SO TAKE AWAY THE BLUE SLIP, YOU
ARE TAKING AWAY A BUILT IN
STRUCTURAL ADVANTAGE FOR
DEMOCRATS AND OF COURSE, I
THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR
STATE SENATORS TO HAVE A VOICE
IN WHOSE A JUDGE IN THEIR
STATE.
SO ONE HAS TO PROCEED WITH
CAUTION THE DELIBERATE REFUSAL
TO DEAL FAIRLY WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND WITHHOLD THE
ADMINISTRATION AND WITHHOLD THE
BLUES SLIP WITHOUT MERIT OR
SOMETHING WHERE THERE SHOULD BE
CONSEQUENCES FOR AND WE NEED TO
WORK THROUGH WHAT THOSE
CONSEQUENCES SHOULD BE BUT I
THINK WE SHOOT OURSELVES GOOD
IN THE FOOT GIVEN THE NUMBERS
IF WE TAKE AWAY THE BLUE SLIPS
OF THE NEXT REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENT, CAN ROLL ALL OF US
AND MUCH TO THEIR ADVANTAGE
NUMERICALLY, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
ON BLUE STATE SEATS.
>> OKAY, GOOD RESPONSE.
LET ME MAKE ONE LAST QUESTION
ON AN UNRELATED ISSUE.
PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE DNC
HAVE TAKEN A VOW OF SILENCE
WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRUMP
INDICTMENT AND I UNDERSTAND THE
ARGUMENT, STAY ABOVE THE FRAY, IT'S A LEGAL MATTER, DON'T GET
IT'S A LEGAL MATTER, DON'T GET
INVOLVED.
THEN AGAIN THERE'S AN ELECTION
NEXT YEAR AND DONALD TRUMP IS
LIKELY TO BE THE REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATE, SHOULDN'T JOE BIDEN,
SHOULDN'T YOU GUYS AS
DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
COMMUNICATE TO VOTERS THAT THE
LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IS
ENMESHED IN MULTIPLE
INDICTMENTS AND NOT SUITABLE
FOR OFFICE. WHY NOT POINT OUT HEY GUYS, THE
WHY NOT POINT OUT HEY GUYS, THE
OTHER PARTY, THEIR LEADER IS AN
INDICTED MAN.
>> YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE
CHOIR HERE.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
POINTING ALL OF THIS OUT.
I DON'T THINK THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION HAS SENT ANY
SIGNAL TO DEMOCRATS THAT WE
SHOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THE
PERILS OF A TRUMP PRESIDENCY
AND THE CRIMINALITY ALLEGEDLY,
OF TRUMP'S BEHAVIOR.
THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO BE
INVOLVED DIRECTLY BECAUSE THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL REPORTS TO THE
PRESIDENT AND THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL BROUGHT THE CASE. I WANT TO --
I WANT TO --
>> WELL --
>> I'M NOT THE LEAST BIT UPSET
THAT BIDEN IS STANDING BACK
FROM THIS. >> TO CLARIFY THEN BECAUSE I
>> TO CLARIFY THEN BECAUSE I
WANT TO BE CLEAR, DONALD TRUMP
IS GOING TO BE ENMESHED IN
TRIALS, COURT DATES,
INDICTMENTS GOING ALL THE WAY
UP TO NOVEMBER 2024 AND BEYOND.
YOU ACCEPT THAT AT SOME POINT
JOE BIDEN WILL HAVE TO ENGAGE
WITH THAT?
>> I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT
DEBATE IF IT COMES TO A DEBATE.
>> LET'S SEE IF TRUMP HAS A