U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas faces questions for not reporting a major travel gift a decade ago.
Justice Clarence Thomas accepted a previously undisclosed flight on a private jet owned by GOP megadonor Harlan Crow in 2010, according to a statement by a top Senate Democrat.
CNN reported that the trip from Hawaii to New Zealand on November 19, 2010, involved Thomas and his wife and was unveiled thanks to efforts by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden. Wyden utilized U.S. Customs and Border Protection records to reveal the undisclosed journey, which raises issues of transparency within the highest court of the nation.
Justice Thomas, who has used Mr. Crow's yacht for travel previously, did not list this jet trip on his mandatory disclosure forms. Senator Wyden's inquiry into this matter cited concern over the undisclosed travel and its implications on ethical standards at the Supreme Court.
The investigations into these undisclosed trips are part of broader discussions around Supreme Court ethics, sparked by intensified scrutiny over the past year. Similar instances of undisclosed travel by Justice Thomas were previously addressed by ProPublica reports, pointing to systemic ethical challenges within the judiciary.
Ron Wyden has voiced apprehensions regarding ethical transparency and potential tax consequences associated with Crow's gifts to Justice Thomas. Crow has been questioned as to whether he utilized these personal benefits to lessen his tax obligations.
Here’s an extended statement by Sen. Ron Wyden on the issue:
Neither Mr. Crow nor Justice Thomas have disclosed the full scale of the Thomas’s use of the Michaela Rose and private jets courtesy of Mr. Crow. I am deeply concerned that Mr. Crow may have been showering a public official with extravagant gifts, then writing off those gifts to lower his tax bill.
In response, a spokesperson for Crow defended the legality of such arrangements and accused Senator Wyden of leveraging his political position to unfairly target the Supreme Court.
Amid these revelations, President Joe Biden has pushed for reforms within the Supreme Court, suggesting the implementation of term limits and enforceable ethical standards. Such measures aim to tighten the ethical rigor demanded of the court to match its significant national influence.
This stance is supported by the White House, where spokesman Andrew Bates stated that the most powerful court in the U.S. should adhere to the highest ethical standards to prevent unaddressed conflicts of interest. Despite adjustments such as the Supreme Court's adoption of a conduct code last year, critics argue that it lacks adequate enforcement mechanisms.
Justice Thomas corrected his ethics disclosure forms in 2019 to include a trip that year, reflecting changes in judiciary disclosure requirements. He has maintained that previous nondisclosures were due to the guidance he received at the time, advising that hospitality from friends need not be reported.
Current efforts to scrutinize and potentially reform Supreme Court practices reflect a growing public desire for transparency and accountability from federal justices. The disclosure and reporting discrepancies uncovered have sparked discussions about the sufficiency of existing ethical guidelines and the judiciary's adherence to them.
In conclusion, while Justice Thomas did update his reporting in line with new judicial policies, the issue of his past travel refocuses attention on the ongoing debates around ethics and transparency within the U.S. Supreme Court. With ongoing reforms proposed by presidential figures and continued advocacy from political leaders, these instances underline the significant public and governmental demand for clarity and integrity among the nation's highest legal authorities.
