Justice Gorsuch’s real estate sale didn’t disclose buyer: Report

The head of a law firm with business before the Supreme Court bought property from Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who failed to identify the buyer on his financial disclosure documents, according to Politico.

The news outlet reported that the law firm had 22 cases before the justices as a party in a lawsuit or having filed a brief of interest on one side of a legal battle.

Of the 12 cases in which Justice Gorsuch’s opinion was recorded, he sided with the law group eight times and against it four times, Politico reported.

The high court currently doesn’t have a mandatory code of ethics it follows, even though lower court judges are expected to avoid impropriety and doing business with anyone who may come before the bench.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Richard Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said the news about Justice Gorsuch’s property is part of a “steady stream of revelations” about justices’ business dealings and their lack of transparency.

In recent weeks, reports have surfaced about Justice Clarence Thomas’ relationship with a GOP megadonor, who provided the justice with lavish vacations on a luxury yacht.

“The need for Supreme Court ethics reform is clear, and if the Court does not take adequate action, Congress must. The Senate Judiciary Committee will be closely examining these matters in the coming weeks,” Mr. Durbin told Politico.

His committee is set to consider a code of ethics for the high court in a hearing on May 2. He has invited Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. to testify.

At issue in the Gorsuch transaction is a 40-acre property in rural Colorado that the justice owned with two other people. It was for sale for a couple of years, but sold shortly after Justice Gorsuch was confirmed to the bench in April 2017.

Brian Duffy, chief executive of the law firm Greenberg Traurig, was the buyer. He said he has never met or spoken to Justice Gorsuch, and according to Politico, he has donated to Democratic politicians.

Justice Gorsuch disclosed that he made between $250,000 and $500,000 on the transaction but didn’t note the name of the buyer.

Mike Davis, a former clerk to Justice Gorsuch and president of the Article III Project, said the attacks against the conservative justices over their public disclosures are part of a campaign by liberals to delegitimize the bench.

“This is part of a campaign by the left,” he told “Real America’s Voice” podcast host Charlie Kirk. “You only hear about it now because the left is trying to delegitimize the Supreme Court, so they can destroy the Supreme Court with court packing, impeachment, term limits. They hate the fact that the Supreme Court is the last line of defense that keeps the democrat politicians in check.”