The ethics scandals for SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas keep piling up… and up!
On Thursday, ProPublica dropped a bombshell report detailing Thomas’ vast array of billionaire benefactors, and the luxurious gifts they’ve bestowed upon him.
The anti-gay justice, who’s failed to disclose all of these luxuries, has taken at least 38 vacations, 26 private jet flights, eight flights by helicopter, a dozen VIP passes to sporting events and stays at premium resorts in Florida and Jamaica.
One of the undisclosed trips was a voyage on a private yacht around the Bahamas. Pretty nice!
“While some of the hospitality, such as stays in personal homes, may not have required disclosure, Thomas appears to have violated the law by failing to disclose flights, yacht cruises and expensive sports tickets,” writes ProPublica.
Seven current and former federal judges told the publication that Thomas’ behavior is a gross violation of judicial norms.
“In my career I don’t remember ever seeing this degree of largesse given to anybody,” said Jeremy Fogel, a former federal judge. “I think it’s unprecedented.”
Translation: Clarence Thomas is corrupt, as are the oligarchs who gave him six-figure gifts. Period.
— Bruce never-forget-Dems-are-the-majority Feldman (@BruceRFeldman) August 10, 2023
ProPublica’s latest exposé on Thomas’ grifting comes in junction with a New York Times story that reveals his beloved R.V., which he’s referenced many times in interviews, cost $267,230. Though Thomas has told friends he saved up to afford the vehicle, he actually received a loan from health care tycoon Anthony Welters.
Previously, it’s been reported that Thomas accepted thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars worth of luxury travel and hospitality, including rides on private jets and super yachts, from GOP mega-donor Harlan Crow. Thomas also didn’t report that he sold three properties to Crowe in Savannah, Georgia, one of which houses his 94-year-old mother, who lives rent-free.
It was also reported that Crow paid for Thomas’ nephew to attend two very expensive private schools during his formative years.
Despite all of these lavish gestures, Crow maintains he’s never expected anything from Thomas in return. What a guy!
Thomas apparently has lots of billionaire friends who treat him fabulously out of the goodness of their hearts. In addition, he’s received VIP treatment from wealthy businessmen he met through an exclusive non-profit. These generous business titans include David Sokol, a former top executive at Berkshire Hathaway, H. Wayne Huizenga, who transformed Blockbuster and owned the Miami Dolphins, and oil baron Paul “Tony” Novelly.
They all appeared to first meet Thomas after he was confirmed to the Supreme Court.
One of the weirder details in the ProPublica piece is an anecdote about how former government official Mark Paoletta and his wife serenaded Thomas with a song they wrote about him on a Sokol-funded vacation to Wyoming.
Thomas’ corruption is so brazen, even members of George W. Bush’s administration are calling him out. “It’s so obvious,” said Richard Painter, Bush’s chief White House ethics attorney. “It all has to be reported.”
In one instance, Thomas took one of Crow’s private jets from Washington D.C. to New Haven, Conn. (roughly an hour flight) so he could meet with Yale Law School deans for a tour of a room where they planned to display a picture of the justice.
So when does the IRS start poking around these “gifts”?
— Pittsburgh, he walks by night. (@dbuls) August 10, 2023
Disturbingly, Thomas isn’t the only SCOTUS member to accept, and fail to disclose, expensive trips. Justice Samuel Alito also went on a fishing trip with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, who’s had cases before the Court.
Meanwhile, Elena Kagan is turning down free bagels. Something stinks here, and it’s coming from the right side of the court.
DBMC
And Elena Kagan won’t even accept bagels.
abfab
She surely must have great coping skills. I think she’s brilliant.
Fahd
So much of this has been known for years with some prominent law professors calling for Thomas´impeachment for as long as I can remember. Maybe this time it will be different.
It´s obvious that after Trump´s appointments, this is now the worst Supreme Court in American history and without term limits it will be so for another 30 years or so. Something has to be done about it. Discrediting the corrupt ones is a start.
Let´s hope in the not to distant future the Court will be expanded so that the influence of the twits (you know who you are) on there now can be diluted. God help America.
inbama
No one has played the race card as brilliantly as Clarence Thomas – all the way back to the claim of “high tech lynching.”
abfab
You come in second.
Man About Town
Does he still want to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges? If so, I’m waiting for someone to advocate overturning Loving v. Virginia.
abfab
Creepy. And I bet he smells awful.
Kangol2
Impeach this unethical billionaire bootlicker and the rest of the corrupt right-wing gang on that court already!
abfab
Ginny! I need you!