Clarence Thomas’s 2022 financial disclosure finally unveiled amidst mounting ‘ethics’ pressure.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s 2022 Financial Disclosure Revealed Amidst Accusations
The annual financial disclosure of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for 2022 has been released, adding fuel to the ongoing accusations of ethics violations against conservative justices. The document, obtained by the Washington Examiner, spans nine pages and provides a comprehensive overview of Thomas’s and his wife Virginia “Ginni” Thomas’s finances. This disclosure comes at a time when Justice Thomas has faced criticism from left-wing advocacy groups, particularly regarding his relationship with billionaire Harlan Crow based in Texas.
Liberal Groups Accuse Thomas of Ethics Violations
Attorney Elliot S. Berke, who assisted Thomas in filing the disclosure, emphasized the justice’s commitment to transparency and adherence to the law throughout his 44 years of public service. Berke acknowledged the ethics complaints filed against Thomas by left-wing organizations with undisclosed supporters who hold opposing views to the justice’s judicial philosophy. He expressed readiness to address any remaining issues or questions with the Judicial Conference and its staff, emphasizing that the financial disclosure process should not be weaponized against a justice due to disagreements in thinking, writing, or voting.
Left-leaning activist hubs, Democratic politicians, and organizations like Fix the Court, along with Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and Dick Durbin (IL), have been leading a coordinated campaign against Thomas, accusing him of persistent failure to disclose gifts, including those from Crow. Conservatives, however, have countered these allegations by highlighting that such disclosures were not required under the ethics rules.
Thomas and Alito Face Scrutiny
While the other justices were able to submit their financial disclosure forms by the deadline, Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito were granted an extension by the administrative office. The pair has faced repeated scrutiny, particularly from ProPublica. The outlet published a report suggesting that Thomas should have disclosed his past trips with Crow, prompting the justice to respond with a Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “ProPublica Misleads Its Readers.” Alito also faced allegations of ethical impropriety related to a fishing trip in Alaska.
Details of Thomas’s Financial Disclosure
The 2022 filing reveals Thomas’s honorary board member role for the Horatio Alger Association and $12,000 in income from teaching a course at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School. The disclosure also includes three separate reimbursements related to Thomas’s involvement with Crow. Crow covered the expenses for Thomas’s canceled trip to the American Enterprise Institute’s Conference at Old Parkland, as well as his transportation and meals during a vacation at Crow’s Camp Topridge in Keese Mill, New York. Additionally, the Hatch Center paid for Thomas’s transportation, meals, and lodging during a speech in Salt Lake City.
Thomas inadvertently failed to report the sale of real estate in Savannah, Georgia, to Crow in 2014. However, Thomas’s attorney clarified that the transactions were arms-length and fair market value. The purchase from Crow resulted in a capital loss for Thomas.
Response to Accusations
Thomas’s attorney explained that the changes in reporting requirements prompted the inclusion of the reported travel on the latest disclosure form. He defended Thomas’s previous nondisclosure, stating that the previous guidance did not call for reporting travel with Crow from previous years. Thomas had been advised by Senior Judge Raymond Randolph, the former chairman of the Judicial Codes of Conduct Committee, that such travel did not need to be reported.
In response to the ProPublica reporting, Thomas released a rare statement in April, noting that he was advised at the time that he did not need to report his travel with Crow. In 2011, the Judicial Conference addressed a complaint by 20 members of Congress, stating that Thomas did not improperly fail to disclose information regarding his travel.
For more information, click here to visit the Washington Examiner.
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