Crooked as they come. Thomas and Scalia in supreme hot seat.

The Citizens United scam should have been the cue for investigations into the nefarious motivations of the conservative-stacked US Supreme Court. Chief Justice Roberts’ blatant lies during his confirmation should have triggered widespread reporting from the press corps but they have largely ignored Roberts’ militantly conservative agenda. Those reporters and bloggers who picked up on the far-right slant the court was taking were given more ammo when the infamous Citizens United ruling came down along ‘party lines’. Still, the press slept.

Some grumbling only began to occur when Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife began campaigning for the Tea Party. The tie-in of the Tea Party, Ginni Thomas with the Citizens United decision was so obvious even mainstream pundits began taking notice. But now the shit has truly hit the fan, especially for Thomas. He has failed to file his wife’s income – a requirement - from a conservative think tank for at least five years. Couple that with he and Scalia’s involvement in Koch Brothers’ groups and you have dynamite.

This revelation that Justice Thomas failed to comply with his disclosure obligations comes as he is caught up in another ethics scandal regarding his participation in fundraisers for far-right political groups. Thomas once attended a gathering of wealthy corporate activists convened by billionaire Charles Koch to raise money for right-wing political causes, and he also attended at least one fundraiser hosted by the far-right think tank that used to employ his wife.

A Supreme Court justice lending a hand to a political fundraising event would be a clear violation of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, if it wasn’t for the fact that the nine justices have exempted themselves from much of the ethical rules governing all other federal judges. Under the Code of Conduct, “a judge should not personally participate in fund-raising activities, solicit funds for any organization, or use or permit the use of the prestige of judicial office for that purpose,” except in certain very narrow circumstances that don’t apply to the Koch and Heritage fundraisers.

Nor is Thomas the only justice engaged in ethically questionable activities. Justice Antonin Scalia also attended one of Charles Koch’s right-wing fundraising and strategy sessions, and Justice Samuel Alito is a frequent speaker at fundraisers for groups such as the Intercollegiate Studies Institute — the corporate front that funded the rise of Republican dirty trickster James O’Keefe and that used to employ anti-masturbation activist Christine O’Donnell.

Usually these far right freaks get away with anything but this is looking more and more like an impeachable offence. It certainly is offensive. The arrogance with which these two have carried themselves has been breathtaking.

The press will have to take up these issues. It shouldn’t always be up to bloggers to yell out the obvious. It is time for the media to hold these two wayward judges feet to the fire.

Dr. Dawg has an excellent take and provides a more detailed account of the judicial shenanigans.