After being exposed in 2023 for accepting lavish gifts and luxury travel opportunities from Republican donors, additional undisclosed flight information has been brought to light concerning Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
More Flights Uncovered
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has accused Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of failing to disclose additional flights paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.
Senate Finance Committee
Wyden is the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has spearheaded an ongoing inquiry into the financial connections between Thomas and Crow in an effort to compel the Supreme Court to enforce a stricter code of conduct and ethical standards for Justices.
Detailed Flight Records
In a letter to Crow’s attorney, Michael Bopp, Wyden detailed flight records from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. These records proved that Thomas and his wife used Crow’s private jet to fly from Hawaii to New Zealand and back in November 2010.
Taking Trips Together
Flight manifests for the private jet also showed that Crow was present with the Thomases for both flights.
Failure to Disclose
The Supreme Court Justice failed to disclose either of these flights in his annual financial disclosure records.
A Growing List
These flights are an additional discovery that can now be added to multiple other trips with Crow, including to Greece, Russia, and the Baltics, that the Justice also failed to disclose.
Revealed Earlier in the Year
Those flights were previously revealed by Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Dick Durbin in June, as part of the ongoing Committee inquiries. The flights took place in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Superyacht Too
In the same letter, Wyden requested detailed records concerning Crow’s superyacht, the Michaela Rose, as well as further information about the billionaire GOP donor’s personal relationship with Thomas.
Several Requests for Information
“On several occasions, I have asked directly how many times Justice Thomas traveled aboard the Michaela Rose and private jets paid for by Mr. Crow, and whether Mr. Crow deducted the costs of these particular trips on tax filings,” Wyden wrote.
Previous Evasive Responses
Wyden went on to describe previous responses from Bopp as “evasive,” leading to suspicions that Crow had used these trips with Thomas to write off private yacht and jet use as a business expense on his taxes.
Legislative Scrutiny Required
“The possibility that Mr. Crow may have lavished secret gifts on a sitting Supreme Court justice and then impermissibly reduced his taxable income by millions of dollars with impunity requires legislative scrutiny,” the letter continued.
Spokesman Speaks Out
A representative for Crow, spokesman Michael Zona, provided a statement responding to the letter and referring Wyden to previous correspondence from Crow’s lawyer.
“No Legal Basis”
He claimed that Wyden’s demands, “have no legal basis and are only intended to harass a private citizen,” which had already been addressed by Crow’s lawyers.
A Vehement Defense
“Mr. Crow and his businesses are in good standing with the IRS,” Zona continued. “He has always followed applicable tax law as advised by national accounting firms who serve as his tax advisors.”
Claims of Political Agenda
Zona went even further, accusing Wyden of “abusing his committee’s powers as part of a politically motivated campaign against the Supreme Court,” a claim that has also been levied by some Republican congress members in the last year.
Shedding Light on Donor Gifts
Investigations into Thomas’ lucrative relationship with Crow were brought to light last year when ProPublica documented their friendship, including extravagant gifts Thomas received from Crow and other wealthy GOP donors over the years.
$4 Million Worth of Gifts
According to the judicial reform non-profit organization Fix the Court, Thomas received more than $4 million worth of gifts in the last three decades, eclipsing the value of gifts that any of his Supreme Court colleagues received.
Thomas Defends Himself
Thomas defended his position last year in the face of public outrage, claiming that he was not aware that personal gifts had to be reported, and that he had been advised that he was not legally required to disclose personal travel information.
Biden Weighs in
The controversy surrounding the Supreme Court Justice led to increased scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers, as well as President Biden, who has proposed new term limits and a binding code of conduct for the Supreme Court Justices.
White House Responds
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates publicly responded to Wyden’s letter by reiterating the need for an enforceable code of conduct, adding that “The most powerful court in the United States shouldn’t be subject to the lowest ethical standards, and conflicts of interest on the Supreme Court cannot go unchecked.”
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