In a bombshell report published by ProPublica on Thursday, it was revealed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been accepting luxury trips from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow for more than 20 years without disclosing them, a possible violation of federal law.
According to ProPublica, Thomas has taken these trips every year, yet failed to report them, as required by law, raising concerns about potential corruption and lawbreaking.
These undisclosed ties to a conservative donor have sparked outrage among influential Democrats and judicial advocates, who are now calling for action.
\u201cFor decades, Justice Clarence Thomas has secretly accepted luxury trips from a major Republican donor, newly obtained documents and interviews show.\n\nThe extent and frequency of these apparent gifts to Thomas has no known precedent in modern SCOTUS history... \ud83e\uddf5\ud83d\udc47\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
Brian Fallon, the executive director of Demand Justice—a progressive judicial advocacy group—is urging Senate Democrats to hold hearings to "expose Justice Thomas’ apparent lawbreaking and the Republican justices’ deep ties to far-right donors."
He called on the Senate to not let “this extraordinary display of corruption and lawbreaking go unanswered" and recommended impeaching Thomas altogether.
This call was echoed by New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
AOC said Thomas' "degree of corruption is shocking—almost cartoonish" and he "must be impeached."
\u201cThis is beyond party or partisanship. This degree of corruption is shocking - almost cartoonish. Thomas must be impeached.\n\nBarring some dramatic change, this is what the Roberts court will be known for: rank corruption, erosion of democracy, and the stripping of human rights.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1680788971
Others have also condemned Thomas' reactions in light of ProPublica's report.
\u201c@propublica When you put the love of power over the power of love, corruption is bound to greet you on the road.\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica Clarence Thomas: utterly corrupt sore-winner\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica .\nWhat are all this corrupt people in the highest offices in America ?\nNo more honor and decency ?\n\nShame on you Clarence Thomas,\nyou are a disgrace to SCOTUS.\n\n\ud83d\udca0 \u2696\ufe0f \ud83d\udca0\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica @gtconway3d How is it even possible at that level to have such poor judgement?\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica Resigning isn\u2019t enough, he belongs in PRISON.\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica @covie_93 It is possible to assert that Clarence Thomas holds the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States, which is a significant statement when one considers the current Republican majority on the bench.\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica This is UNBELIEVABLY corrupt\n\nIt might even be CRIMINAL\n\nThe John Roberts SCOTUS has issued DOZENS of critical decisions-including\n\nCitizens United\nShelby County v Holder\nOverturning Roe v Wade\n\nMERRICK GARLAND NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE CLARENCE THOMAS, GINNI THOMAS & HARLAN CROW\n\nNOW\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
\u201c@propublica @buffsblg This would likely result in a judge in Georgia being removed from the bench by the Judicial Qualifications Committee. Of course, SCOTUS has no ethical or moral oversight.\u201d— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1680778197
Thomas has faced previous ethical controversies, including his failure to recuse himself in a case brought by former President Donald Trump to prevent the House select committee from accessing White House documents related to the January 6 insurrection.
It is worth noting that Thomas' wife—conservative activist Ginni Thomas— was involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election with Trump supporters.
ProPublica's attempts to reach out to Justice Thomas were unsuccessful, and he has yet to respond to their report.
Meanwhile, Harlan Crow, the GOP megadonor who provided the luxury trips to Justice Thomas, denied any wrongdoing, stating that he and his wife never discussed any cases with the justice and that they did not seek to influence him on any legal or political matters.
