Last Week Tonight host John Oliver made a bold and unconventional offer to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, saying he would personally provide Thomas with a million dollars a year, along with a $2.4 million motor coach, if he agrees to resign from the Supreme Court immediately.
Oliver's offer, made on his program, is valid for the next 30 days.
Oliver clarified that the offer is not a joke and emphasized its sincerity. He urged Justice Thomas to consider the proposition, stating:
“Lot on your plate right now. From stripping away women’s rights, to hearing Jan. 6 cases you definitely shouldn’t be hearing, to potentially helping rollback decades of federal regulations."
"So that's the offer. A million dollars a year and a brand new condo on wheels, and all you have to do in return is sign the contract and get the f**k off the Supreme Court."
The comedian's offer is not made without context, saying he spoke to legal experts who told him his offer is "somehow legal" and "there are no rules in place" to stop him from offering Thomas a financial incentive to leave the Supreme Court:
"Let me be clear. HBO is not putting up the money for this. I am personally on the hook. You can make me really regret this. I could be doing standup tours to pay for your retirement for years."
You can hear what Oliver said in the video below.
Oliver's offer sparked significant online commentary.
Associate Justices on the Supreme Court earn an annual salary of $298,500 and hold lifetime appointments, and Oliver's unique proposal aims to address Thomas's reported dissatisfaction with the job.
Oliver referenced Thomas's past statement in 2001, where he mentioned that being a Supreme Court Justice was "not worth doing for what they pay."
Last year, a bombshell report published by ProPublica revealed 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 the report, 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.
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.
Thomas later responded to ProPublica's report by insisting that the "personal hospitality" of his friends was not "reportable." He added that he has personally "always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines.”
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