Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has recently acknowledged that he took three trips last year aboard a private plane owned by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. This disclosure comes after years of Thomas receiving undisclosed expensive gifts, including international travel, from Crow. These gifts have raised concerns about ethics at the high court.
In compliance with new guidelines from the federal judiciary for reporting travel, the 75-year-old justice revealed this information in an annual financial report made public on Thursday. It is worth noting that this is the first time in years that Thomas has reported receiving hospitality from Crow.
The filing also revealed that fellow justice Samuel Alito had his annual financial report released on the same day. Both Thomas and Alito were granted 90-day extensions for their reports, causing them to be released later than those of the other seven justices.
The report did not specify the exact nature of these trips, but one of them was to Crow’s lodge in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. It has been reported that Thomas visits this lodge every year.
The disclosure of these trips and gifts comes amidst a heightened scrutiny on ethics within the Supreme Court. Previously, it was revealed that Crow purchased a house in Georgia for Thomas’s mother to live in and paid for two years of private school tuition for a child raised by Thomas and his wife, Ginni.
It is important to note that Justice Sonia Sotomayor has also faced scrutiny recently, as it was reported that she advanced sales of her books through college visits over the past decade.
These revelations raise questions about the transparency and accountability of the Supreme Court and its justices, especially those within the conservative supermajority. The new reporting guidelines implemented by the federal judiciary aim to address these concerns and promote greater transparency in judicial matters.
Supreme Court Justice Thomas’ Recent Trips and Financial Disclosures
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently made three notable trips, including two visits to Dallas where he spoke at conferences sponsored by the conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute. However, during one of the trips in mid-May, court officials advised him to avoid commercial travel due to concerns about the justices’ security following the disclosure of a draft abortion opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade.
In addition to this, Justice Thomas recently acknowledged that a home in Savannah, Ga., where his mother still resides, was purchased by Harlan Crow. Interestingly, Thomas and other family members already owned the house along with two neighboring properties. Although the sale was completed in 2014, Thomas mistakenly believed that he didn’t need to report it since it resulted in a capital loss.
Furthermore, Justice Thomas is currently contemplating whether to update his previous financial reports to include more private plane travel. It’s worth mentioning that the annual financial reports for Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito were released three months after those of the other seven justices, as they were granted a 90-day extension.
For more accountability and transparency, a Senate panel has recently introduced a bill aiming to establish ethical standards for U.S. Supreme Court justices. While Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledges the need for improvement in ethics within the Supreme Court, he has not specified any particular measures.
Overall, Justice Thomas’ recent trips and financial disclosures have raised attention and scrutiny, emphasizing the necessity for clearer guidelines and practices for all Supreme Court justices.
