Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been accused of accepting unreported luxury trips from real estate magnate and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. The trips included stays at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondacks, travel on his private jet and superyacht, and other lavish amenities.
Thomas’ Relationship with Billionaire Harlan Crow
Thomas has been a frequent guest at Crow’s exclusive lakeside resort, Camp Topridge, for over two decades. Guests at the resort stay for free and enjoy various amenities, including 25 fireplaces, three boathouses, a clay tennis court, and a batting cage, among others.
Crow has deep connections in conservative politics and has given millions of dollars to groups dedicated to conservative jurisprudence. He has also given gifts to Thomas, including a $19,000 Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass, and a portrait of Thomas and his wife painted by Sharif Tarabay. Crow’s foundation gave $105,000 to Yale Law School for the “Justice Thomas Portrait Fund.”
Allegations of Violation of Law by Justice Clarence
The trips were not disclosed on Thomas’ financial disclosures with the Supreme Court. This appears to violate a law passed after Watergate that requires judges to disclose financial gifts or benefits from parties who may have an interest in their rulings.
Thomas’ acceptance of these trips breaks longstanding norms for judges’ conduct and is incomprehensible to some ethics experts and federal judges. There are few restrictions on what gifts justices can accept unlike members of Congress. However, overnight stays at personal vacation homes owned by friends remain exempt from disclosure under the judiciary policy guide consulted by The Associated Press.
Calls for Impeachment by Lawmakers
Following the revelation of these unreported luxury trips funded by a Republican megadonor, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called for the impeachment of Justice Clarence Thomas. The degree of corruption is shocking – almost cartoonish,” she said.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin said the ProPublica report was “a call to action” and that “the Senate Judiciary Committee will act.” Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said that the report “cries out for the kind of independent investigation that the Supreme Court refuses to perform.”
Impact on Judicial Ethics and Supreme Court
Many are concerned about the impact of Thomas’ relationship with Crow on judicial ethics and the integrity of the Supreme Court. Thomas is the seniormost justice on the court and an intellectual leader of the current 6-3 conservative majority.
Critics argue that his acceptance of lavish gifts from a politically connected billionaire raises serious questions about his ability to impartially decide cases. There have been calls for tighter disclosure rules for the court and for it to adopt an ethics code.
Denials by Harlan Crow
Crow denies seeking to influence Thomas on any legal or political issue. He said that Thomas never asked for any hospitality and that they have been friends since 1996. Crow’s firm has not had a case before the Supreme Court since Thomas joined it, and the full scale of Crow’s benefactions to Thomas has never been revealed.
The allegations against Justice Clarence Thomas have raised concerns about ethics in the Supreme Court, as lawmakers call for stricter disclosure rules and an ethics code to be implemented. The public is left wondering what other ethical lapses could be found in America’s highest court in years to come.
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