Justice Thomas is one of nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. He has served there since 1991 and is currently the longest-serving justice. In a documentary funded by real estate billionaire Harlan Crow, a Republican supporter, Justice Thomas stated that he is an unpretentious person. He said he prefers traveling by coach and likes Walmart parking lots more than the beach.
However, ProPublica—based in New York City—told a story that contradicted Thomas's earlier statements. According to ProPublica, Thomas's friendship with Crow allowed the judge to enjoy luxuries he could never afford with his $285,000 annual salary. The investigative journalism organization stated: "The scale and frequency of Crow's gifts to Thomas were unprecedented in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court."
The ProPublica report provides information gathered from various sources, including flight records, interviews with several individuals, superyacht staff, and members of the Bohemian Club, a gathering place for wealthy men. According to the report, Judge Thomas flew on a Bombardier Global 5000 and vacationed on billionaire Crow's superyacht.
Additionally, Thomas also enjoys vacations at Crow's ranch in Texas and attends gatherings with the billionaire in California. In 2019, Thomas and his wife flew to Indonesia and toured the islands on Crow's yacht for nine days. This trip could cost over $500,000. Every summer, Thomas spends about a week at Crow's private resort in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The resort features a houseboat, tennis courts, and a replica of Hagrid's hut from the "Harry Potter" stories.
Inside the resort, there's a painting depicting Thomas, billionaire Crow, and conservative lawyers smoking cigars outdoors. During their 2017 vacation, guests at the resort included not only Thomas but also Republican donors, CEOs of major corporations, and leaders of the American Enterprise Institute.
ProPublica's revelations led Democratic lawmakers to sharply criticize Justice Thomas. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, emphasized: “This conduct is inconsistent with the ethical standards of any American public servant, let alone a Supreme Court justice. The ProPublica report is a call to action, and the Senate Judiciary Committee will act.”
Echoing Durbin's sentiment, New York State Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: “This goes beyond partisanship. This level of corruption is shocking, almost caricatured. Thomas must be impeached.”
In response to ProPublica's allegations, according to CNN, Judge Thomas admitted that he participated in luxury trips sponsored by billionaire Crow and had not disclosed them because he was advised not to report them. In a statement sent through the Supreme Court's information office, Thomas said that the trips he and his wife took with the Crow couple were out of "personal hospitality between close friends."
Meanwhile, billionaire Crow also denied seeking to influence the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court. The businessman stated that he and his wife have been friends with the Thomas family since 1996. Crow emphasized that the hospitality he and his wife have shown the Thomas family over the years is no different from the hospitality extended to other close friends.
Mr. Crow stated, “We never inquired about a pending case or one in a lower court, and Judge Thomas never discussed the case. We never sought to influence Judge Thomas on any legal or political matters.”
The ProPublica report was published amid increased scrutiny of the U.S. Supreme Court over ethical issues. Critics have called for justices to adopt a code of conduct and adhere to stricter financial reporting rules.
According to Business Insider, ethics experts and former and current judges interviewed by ProPublica said that Thomas violated the normal conduct of judges by accepting luxury trips and may have broken the law by not disclosing information in his annual financial records.
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