U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is under fire for allegedly failing to disclose private flights funded by conservative billionaire Harlan Crow.
These new allegations add to the existing controversy over Thomas's acceptance of undisclosed gifts and travel from Crow, raising ethics concerns.
According to Savvy Dime, the claims were brought forth by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a leading Democrat and the Senate Finance Committee chairman. Wyden's letter revealed that Thomas and his wife, Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, had taken a round trip from Hawaii to New Zealand in 2010 on Crow's private jet.
Senator Wyden accused Justice Thomas of failing to report these additional private jet trips despite recently amending his financial disclosures. Critics are voicing concerns about the ethical implications of these undisclosed flights and gifts from Crow.
Wyden has launched an investigation into the nature of Thomas's relationship with Crow. In his letter to Crow's attorney, Wyden requested detailed information about the financial ties between the two individuals.
"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," Wyden stated.
A spokesman for Harlan Crow dismissed the allegations, stating that Crow has consistently adhered to tax laws. The spokesman also suggested that Senator Wyden's actions were politically motivated and meant to harass a private citizen.
Wyden highlighted that Thomas had not disclosed the 2010 New Zealand trip in any of his financial disclosure forms. This oversight has added to the growing list of undisclosed gifts and travels involving Thomas.
Thomas had already been in the public eye for various undisclosed perks from Crow, which have been the subject of ongoing scrutiny.
Democratic lawmakers have intensified their calls for Supreme Court reforms in light of these revelations. President Joe Biden has floated the idea of implementing regulations regarding ethics and imposing term limits for Justices.
Justice Samuel Alito has also come under fire in recent times for controversial behavior, including flying flags with strong political messages during significant events. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has filed articles of impeachment against both Thomas and Alito. However, given the current Republican majority in the House, the probability of impeachment proceedings moving forward seems slim.
The series of undisclosed flights and gifts involving Justice Clarence Thomas and Harlan Crow have shined a spotlight on the Supreme Court's ethical standards. These recent revelations have fueled discussions about the necessary reforms to ensure transparency and accountability within the highest court.
In response to the allegations, a representative for Crow emphasized the legality of Crow's actions and dismissed Wyden's inquiries as politically motivated efforts to target a private individual. Despite these defenses, the investigation by Senator Wyden continues to gather significant attention and concern from both lawmakers and the public.
