Minister Says He Successfully Lobbied Supreme Court Justices for His Causes

December 8, 2022 by Tom Ramstack
Minister Says He Successfully Lobbied Supreme Court Justices for His Causes
Robert L. Schenck (Screen grab House television)

WASHINGTON — An evangelical minister who on Thursday claimed to be a whistleblower on conflicts of interest at the Supreme Court told Congress that for years he recruited “stealth missionaries” to advocate conservative causes to the justices.

The wealthy couples Robert L. Schenck said he used to win influence met some of their greatest success with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

“Our overarching goals were to gain insight into the conservative justices’ thinking and to shore up their resolve to render solid, unapologetic opinions,” Schenck told the House Judiciary Committee.

Democrats on the committee used the hearing to say Schenck’s testimony showed the need for Congress to impose a new code of conduct on the Supreme Court.

Conservative lawmakers, as well as a lawyer who testified during the hearing, responded by calling Schenck a “liar” or saying he engaged in “gossip” and “hearsay” as he tried to win attention that might result in more donations to his nonprofit group.

Schenck is president and founder of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute, a Christian public advocacy organization that hosts discussions on political issues among clergy, politicians and other institution leaders.

From 1995 to 2018, Schenck led Faith and Action, a group that organized 20 meetings between his “stealth missionaries” and conservative Supreme Court Justices Thomas, Alito and Antonin Scalia.

In July 2022, Schenck revealed in media interviews that he coached the wealthy couples to subtly advocate against abortion before the justices. They would arrange the meetings using tactics such as donations to the Supreme Court Historical Society.

“That proved to be very effective,” Schenck said Thursday.

On one occasion, Schenck said he learned about the 2014 Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores ruling before it was announced when Alito leaked it to two of his colleagues during a private dinner at the justice’s home.

The Hobby Lobby decision allowed corporations to be exempt from regulations for religious reasons if government agencies could use less restrictive means of enforcing laws. Much of the concern in the case focused on whether employers must supply employees with contraceptives as a required health benefit.

The colleagues, Gayle and Don Wright, as well as Alito, deny Schenck’s allegation of the leaked ruling.

On another occasion, Schenck said Thomas told him, “Keep up what you’re doing. It’s making a difference.”

He denied motives of personal gain for his whistleblower testimony.

“I felt as though it was a moral obligation,” Schenck said.

Mark Paoletta, a lawyer who has represented Thomas’ wife and knows the justice, said Schenck’s lobbying efforts had “zero impact” on the Supreme Court.

“Mr. Schenck rewrites history to suit his needs,” Paoletta said.

Rep. Thomas McClintock, R-Calif., said, “There is nothing, nothing to support his claims.”

Democrats pressed ahead with their assertions that Schenck’s testimony shows the need for a bill they approved in May to institute a new Supreme Court code of conduct. The Supreme Court is exempt from the code of conduct for judges in lower courts.

The bill would require Supreme Court justices to publicly disclose all gifts and income they receive. It would set stricter standards for them to recuse themselves from cases that might represent a conflict of interest.

It is awaiting a vote in the full House. A companion bill is pending in the Senate.

“The [Supreme] Court either cannot or will not do what is in its best interest, therefore the Congress must step in,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga. “The answer here is not revolutionary, it is to impose a code of ethics.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said, “The Supreme Court is long overdue for a more ethical code of conduct.”

Tom can be reached at [email protected] and @TomRamstack

A+
a-
  • House Judiciary Committee
  • Robert Schenck
  • Supreme Court
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Supreme Court

    Five Takeaways From the Abortion Pill Case Before US Supreme Court

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday did not appear ready to limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone,... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday did not appear ready to limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone, in a case that could have far-reaching implications for millions of American women and for scores of drugs regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. It's... Read More

    March 26, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Supreme Court Skeptical of Ban on Abortion Pill Mifepristone

    WASHINGTON — A hearing Tuesday before the Supreme Court indicated a majority of the justices want to maintain women’s access... Read More

    WASHINGTON — A hearing Tuesday before the Supreme Court indicated a majority of the justices want to maintain women’s access to the abortion pill mifepristone despite objections from anti-abortion activists. The doctors and organizations who sued argued the Food and Drug Administration was wrong in granting... Read More

    March 19, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Supreme Court Gives Texas Green Light to Deport Illegal Immigrants

    WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to begin enforcing a state law that effectively allows officials... Read More

    WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to begin enforcing a state law that effectively allows officials to deport undocumented immigrants, despite objections from the Biden administration, which argued only the federal government has authority over immigration issues. In an unsigned order, the... Read More

    A Supreme Court Ruling in a Social Media Case Could Set Standards for Free Speech in the Digital Age

    WASHINGTON (AP) — In a busy term that could set standards for free speech in the digital age, the Supreme... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — In a busy term that could set standards for free speech in the digital age, the Supreme Court on Monday is taking up a dispute between Republican-led states and the Biden administration over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social... Read More

    March 4, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Justices Rule Trump Can Stay on Colorado Ballot

    WASHINGTON — In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that former President Donald Trump may remain on Colorado’s... Read More

    WASHINGTON — In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that former President Donald Trump may remain on Colorado’s primary ballot, rejecting a challenge to his eligibility based on a section of the 14th Amendment that bars those who have “engaged in insurrection” from holding... Read More

    About as Many Abortions Happening in US Monthly as Before Roe Was Overturned, Report Finds

    The number of abortions performed each month is about the same as before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and... Read More

    The number of abortions performed each month is about the same as before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to abortion more than a year and a half ago, a new report finds. The latest edition of the #WeCount report conducted for... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top