Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s problems keep worsening. However, as Washington Post author Ruth Marcus declared today, “It’s impossible to imagine that the current Supreme Court Justice will ever resign as Fortas did in 1969.”
ProPublica’s original research was first to break the story on April 6th, 2023. This story is growing into a monster of what seems to be billionaire Harlan Crow’s purchase of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
- For 20 years, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been treated to luxury vacations by billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow. (4/6/2023, ProPublica: authors Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliot, and Alex Mierjeski)
Crow spends millions and millions of dollars on trips for Thomas. As just one example, Thomas and his wife Ginny were invited on a journey via Crow’s huge 162″ “superyacht” that began in Indonesia. Ginny and Clarence got there via Crow’s private jet — a Bombardier Global 5000. If Thomas had paid for this trip himself, it is estimated the trip would have cost Half a Million $$$$. Associate Supreme Court Justice is paid $274,000 annually, but this number does not include the benefits package.
But the continuing story of “Supreme Court Justice Thomas for Purchase” is like a patchwork quilt made of really ugly stuff that grows and grows.
- Billionaire Crow gives Half a Million $$$$ to Ginny’s “Tea Party” Group, which pays Ginny $120,000 annually. Justice Thomas’s Wife Now. (Politico, 2/4/2011, authors Kenneth P.Vogel, John Bresnahan, and Marin Cogan)
- Billionaire Crow pays cash for properties Clarence Thomas owns, and his mother lives rent-free. Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas. The Justice Didn’t Disclose the Deal. (ProPublica, 4/13/2023, authors Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski)
- Billionaire Crow pays for Thomas’s adopted son to attend a prestigious private school. One of the schools costs $68,000 apx per year. Clarence Thomas Had a Child in Private School. Harlan Crow Paid the Tuition. (ProPublica (5/24/2023, authors Joshua Kaplin, Justin Elliott, and Alex Mierjeski)
- And today, The Washington Post reported that conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo arranged for Gini Thomas to be paid tens of thousands of dollars for consulting work a decade ago. Gini’s name was to be hidden, and Kellyanne Conway (remember her from the Trump White House?) helped with that. Judicial activist directed fees to Clarence Thomas’s wife, urged ‘no mention of Ginni‘ (The Washington Post, 5/5/2023, authors Emma Brown, Shawn Boburg, and Jonathan O’Connell)
This is a continuing story.