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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made a series of disclosures in his 2022 financial disclosure form, revealing four reimbursed trips and his 2014 real estate transaction with Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. These disclosures have sparked significant attention and scrutiny.
In the filed financial disclosure, Justice Thomas detailed three of the trips as being for speaking engagements. Crow, a billionaire and influential Republican donor, footed the bill for a flight back from one speaking engagement and also a round trip to another event. Additionally, Crow financed a trip to the Adirondacks, which included transportation, meals, and lodging at his private resort.
The Hatch Center, a conservative think tank, provided transportation, meals, and lodging for yet another speaking engagement, this one taking place in Salt Lake City.
See also: Conservative Nonprofits Spend $1.8M to Mark 25 Years Since Supreme Court Justice Thomas Appointed
One of the more attention-grabbing revelations in the disclosure was Justice Thomas’s use of Crow’s private plane for a speaking appearance in May. This decision was reportedly made on the advice of his security detail, which recommended noncommercial travel following the release of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization opinion, a landmark case overturning the right to abortion.
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Furthermore, Crow provided a private plane for Justice Thomas to return home from a February speaking engagement due to an unexpected ice storm. This private plane usage raised eyebrows and added to the scrutiny surrounding the Justice’s financial disclosures.
Various news outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, and Law360, quickly picked up the story, and Bloomberg reporter Zoe Tillman offered early coverage on X, formerly known as Twitter. Court transparency group Fix the Court also provided additional details on the matter.
It’s worth noting that prior reporting by ProPublica had previously revealed Justice Thomas’s extensive history of accepting hospitality from Crow, including traveling on his superyacht, flying on his private jet, and staying at his private resorts in New York and Texas over a span of two decades. Other benefactors had also provided free vacations to the Justice.
Justice Thomas defended his past failure to disclose these free trips, stating that he had adhered to the judicial regulations that were in place at the time, following the practices of his colleagues. According to him, previous rules did not require justices to disclose personal hospitality provided by an individual for nonbusiness purposes. However, these rules changed in March, prompting Justice Thomas to now list privately provided “transportation that substitutes for commercial transportation” in his disclosures.
In addition to the travel disclosures, Justice Thomas also reported Crow’s 2014 purchase of three properties in Savannah, Georgia, in which Thomas held a one-third interest. However, he clarified that he and his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, had contributed $50,000 to $75,000 toward one of the properties, which happened to be his mother’s home. This contribution meant that Justice Thomas actually incurred a financial loss on the sale.
In light of these disclosures and the evolving rules, Justice Thomas stated that he continues to work with Supreme Court officials and committee staff for guidance on whether he should further amend his reports for any previous years.
This news comes on the heels of another ProPublica report revealing that Justice Samuel Alito received a free trip to an Alaska fishing lodge, the expenses of which were covered by two wealthy benefactors. Justice Thomas and Justice Alito filed their financial disclosure forms for 2022 on the same day, having received a 90-day extension.
The disclosures by these justices have ignited debates about transparency, ethics, and the need for more stringent reporting requirements for members of the Supreme Court. As the public and legal experts continue to dissect these revelations, they raise critical questions about the interactions between justices and wealthy individuals, potential conflicts of interest, and the evolving standards of transparency within the highest echelons of the U.S. judicial system.
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