U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently disclosed that his travel expenses and meals on several occasions in the past year were paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. This information was included in Thomas’s latest financial disclosure report, which also addressed some omissions from prior reports, including Crow’s purchase of three houses in which Thomas held an interest.
Crow’s relationship with Thomas has been the subject of scrutiny, as reports have surfaced regarding luxury trips that the conservative justice accepted from the real estate billionaire. The recent report revealed that Crow paid for Thomas’s return flight from Dallas in February 2022, where Thomas had attended a conference as the keynote speaker. Due to an ice storm, they flew by private plane.
In May of the same year, Crow also flew Thomas back to Dallas for the same purpose. The report explained that Thomas only flew by private plane on that occasion due to increased security risks following the leak of a draft opinion overturning abortion rights. Thomas’s security detail had recommended noncommercial travel whenever possible during that time.
Furthermore, Crow paid for Thomas’s flights to and from the Adirondack Mountains in July 2022, where Thomas stayed as a guest of Crow at his private lakeside resort called Camp Topridge. Crow also provided meals and lodging. The report clarified that these expenses were reported in compliance with updated guidance from the Judicial Conference of the United States, which no longer allows transportation to be excluded from reporting under a “personal hospitality” exemption.
Thomas’s latest financial filing came after a delay, as he sought an extension due to the fallout from the reporting on his previous disclosures. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who also requested an extension, filed his own 2022 financial disclosure form on the same day.
The revelations about Thomas’s trips have led to criticism from judicial oversight groups, Democratic lawmakers, and calls for an investigation into his actions. Some watchdogs are pushing for the implementation of a binding code of ethics for the Supreme Court. The Senate Judiciary Committee has urged Chief Justice John Roberts to initiate a probe into Thomas and has hinted at possible legislative action.
Despite the criticism, some Republicans have come to Thomas’s defense. Elliot Berke, an attorney for Thomas, issued a statement refuting the allegations against the justice and criticizing the current partisan atmosphere surrounding federal ethics filings.
In addition to the travel expenses, the report also disclosed a real estate transaction between Crow and Thomas that occurred nearly a decade ago. It revealed that Thomas had inherited a one-third interest in his mother’s residence and two adjacent houses in Savannah, Georgia, in 1984. In 2014, Crow purchased all three properties for $133,000, resulting in a capital loss for Thomas. This transaction had not been previously reported due to an oversight.
Overall, the disclosure report sheds light on Thomas’s financial ties and raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. The ongoing controversy surrounding his relationship with Crow and the accepted trips has sparked a larger debate about ethics within the Supreme Court and the need for clearer guidelines and regulations.
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