Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has come under scrutiny for failing to disclose a private travel gift from Republican billionaire Harlan Crow, as revealed by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Wyden’s letter to Crow’s attorney references records from Customs and Border Protection showing that Thomas and his wife, Ginni, flew round-trip from New Zealand to Hawaii on Crow’s private jet in 2010. This information was reported by The New York Times.
Thomas’s relationship with Crow spans over 20 years, during which Crow has treated him to numerous vacations. An investigation by ProPublica highlighted Thomas’s use of Crow’s yacht, the Michaela Rose, in New Zealand, and his frequent travel on Crow’s private jets. Despite these lavish trips, neither Crow nor Thomas has disclosed the extent of these gifts.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Under Fire for Not Disclosing Private Jet Travel from Harlan Crow
Wyden expressed his concerns in his letter, suggesting that Crow might be providing extravagant gifts to Thomas and subsequently writing them off to reduce his tax liabilities. This ongoing relationship raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and adherence to disclosure requirements for public officials.
This issue adds to the controversy following Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s introduction of articles of impeachment against Thomas last month. The impeachment articles accuse Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito of failing to disclose income and gifts from Republican megadonors, among other ethical breaches.
Supreme Court justices are mandated to report any outside gifts or financial sources on a financial disclosure form, a requirement Thomas has repeatedly neglected.
In response to these ethical concerns, President Joe Biden proposed three reforms aimed at enhancing trust and accountability within the Supreme Court: reversing a ruling that grants a president immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, implementing term limits for justices, and establishing a binding code of conduct for justices to disclose gifts.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, dismissed these proposals, declaring that they would not pass in the House.
