Politics & Government

Ellison Report: Wants Justice Clarence Thomas Investigated

Thomas' failure to report income and other perks merits scrutiny, Ellison said.

While touring the Middle East, meeting the King of Jordan and the Egyptian military junta, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) lent his name to a letter calling for an investigation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' financial dealings. 

Authored by Rep. Louise Slaughter, the letter accused Thomas of earning approximately $700,000 from the conservative Heritage Foundation from 2003 to 2007.

The letter also said Thomas may have benefited from rides on a private jet and yacht owned by real estate magnate Harlan Crowe. At the same time, according to the letter, Thomas disclosed no outside income or conflicts of interest on his yearly financial disclosure forms. 

Find out what's happening in Fridleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ellison, Fridley's representative in Congress, was among 20 lawmakers calling on the House Rules Committee, the committee that sets up rules for federal courts, to investigate Thomas.

Challenger As Fundraising Fodder
Meanwhile, Ellison's campaign sent out a fundraising pitch to supporters making veiled reference to

Find out what's happening in Fridleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It's that time of the year where campaigns send out emails filled with words like "donate" and "contribute," with suggestions to give $10, $25, or more.

As we all know, Keith would rather talk about how we can get Americans back to work, but in order to do so, we need resources to amplify his voice and put jobs at the forefront of the debate (...) In announcing their candidacy, a familiar opponent attacked me as a "radical Islamist." These divisive attacks did not work in the past, and with your help, they won't work again.

Holiday Well-wishes
In a statement, Ellison wished his Jewish constituents well for the High Holidays.

"Today I extend my warmest wishes to the Jewish community of Minnesota and around the world as they celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah (...) It is a time for families to pray for peace within their communities and around the world. Let us all rededicate ourselves to this universal cause. As the Shabbat prayer says, ‘Let love and justice flow like a mighty stream. Let peace fill the earth as the waters fill the sea. And let us say: Amen.’ L’Shana Tovah—Happy New Year."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Fridley