Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing renewed scrutiny as Democratic U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden have urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to initiate an investigation into alleged ethics violations. The senators are calling for the appointment of a special counsel to look into accusations against Thomas, who is the longest-serving member of the court and a key figure in its conservative majority.

 

Justice Thomas has been embroiled in controversy for some time, primarily due to allegations that he failed to disclose expensive gifts from billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow. Additionally, Thomas is accused of not paying taxes on a forgiven loan exceeding $267,000 from another wealthy business owner. These issues have brought significant attention to his conduct and compliance with federal laws.

 

On July 3, Whitehouse and Wyden sent a letter to Garland requesting the special counsel, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "We do not make this request lightly," they wrote. "The evidence assembled thus far plainly suggests that Justice Thomas has committed numerous willful violations of federal ethics and false-statement laws and raises significant questions about whether he and his wealthy benefactors have complied with their federal tax obligations." The senators pointed out that Thomas has remained suspiciously silent when given opportunities to address these concerns. "No government official should be above the law," they insisted, "We therefore request that you appoint a Special Counsel authorized to investigate potential criminal violations by Justice Thomas."

 

The Department of Justice and the Supreme Court were both contacted for comments following the announcement. In their letter, the senators argued that appointing a special counsel is in the public interest due to the substantial evidence against Thomas, which they believe warrants a criminal investigation. They also highlighted that the full extent of Thomas's undisclosed activities remains unknown.

 

The controversy gained significant traction after an April 2023 report by ProPublica, which exposed a series of undeclared luxury trips accepted by Thomas from Crow over many years. ProPublica noted that the frequency and extent of Crow's gifts to Thomas were unprecedented in modern U.S. Supreme Court history. Crow defended his actions by categorizing them as hospitality extended to "dear friends," while Thomas asserted that he did not commit any wrongdoing.

 

Thomas stated that the gifts were not reportable and that he had sought guidance early in his tenure. "Early in my tenure at the Court, I sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable," Thomas said. "I have endeavored to follow that counsel throughout my tenure and have always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines."

 

Credit: Newsweek 2024-07-11

 

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He’s obviously dirty and 100% biased to bad nothing will come of it

1 hour ago, Tug said:

He’s obviously dirty and 100% biased to bad nothing will come of it

 

He does have shifty eyes.

 

They've named the man.  Time to find the crime...

 

Lefties Democrats, defending democracy.  Going after anyone that stands in their way to power.

 

5 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

He does have shifty eyes.

 

They've named the man.  Time to find the crime...

 

Lefties Democrats, defending democracy.  Going after anyone that stands in their way to power.

 

 

reminds me of the peacemaker from the suicide squad...........

 

i cherish peace with all my heart...and i don't care how many men women and children i gotta kill to get it.

30 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

He does have shifty eyes.

 

They've named the man.  Time to find the crime...

 

Lefties Democrats, defending democracy.  Going after anyone that stands in their way to power.

 

There’s all those pesky gifts and freebies rember?does Harlin crow ring a bell?then there’s his old lady on record……so obvious 

2 hours ago, Tug said:

He’s obviously dirty and 100% biased to bad nothing will come of it

OBVIOUSLY... you are a hateful person... in the old west you would be the one yelling "lynch him"

1 hour ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

OBVIOUSLY... you are a hateful person... in the old west you would be the one yelling "lynch him"

With all due respect justice Thomas is supposed to be non biased he obviously is he should have at the very least recused himself…..he has accepted over 4 million dollars worth of gifts over the years ( that we know of) it’s obvious the dude is dirty that’s not hateful it’s unfortunately the truth.

2 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

OBVIOUSLY... you are a hateful person... in the old west you would be the one yelling "lynch him"

I think the call is ‘investigate him’.

 

No need for your hyperbole.

4 hours ago, impulse said:

 

He does have shifty eyes.

 

They've named the man.  Time to find the crime...

 

Lefties Democrats, defending democracy.  Going after anyone that stands in their way to power.

 

So you think the donations, sizeable donations, are ok and not a potential conflict of interest that needs to be examined?

48 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So you think the donations, sizeable donations, are ok and not a potential conflict of interest that needs to be examined?

 

I think that the guy wouldn't be in the hot seat if he leaned liberal.  He'd be a useful tool, like so many other corrupt officials.  Like the guy in the White House, for example.

 

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

I think that the guy wouldn't be in the hot seat if he leaned liberal.  He'd be a useful tool, like so many other corrupt officials.  Like the guy in the White House, for example.

 

Oh so it’s a problem with the Liberals.

 

Who knew?!

10 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I think that the guy wouldn't be in the hot seat if he leaned liberal.  He'd be a useful tool, like so many other corrupt officials.  Like the guy in the White House, for example.

 

No answer, no surprise.

21 hours ago, Tug said:

With all due respect justice Thomas is supposed to be non biased he obviously is he should have at the very least recused himself…..he has accepted over 4 million dollars worth of gifts over the years ( that we know of) it’s obvious the dude is dirty that’s not hateful it’s unfortunately the truth.

OBVIOUSLY... no trial just lynch him... it's the new democracy at work.

Could backfire. They remove him in time for Trump to replace him.

23 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

OBVIOUSLY... no trial just lynch him... it's the new democracy at work.

Stop trying to conflate the request for an investigation with a lynching …….

3 minutes ago, Tug said:

Stop trying to conflate the request for an investigation with a lynching …….

These are your quotes... "it’s obvious the dude is dirty"... "He’s obviously dirty and 100% biased to bad nothing will come of it"... sounds like he's already been tried and convicted in your mind... so let's just hang him... where is your unbiased due process?

He did nothing unethical and no one can prove he did.

 

But the same guys complaining about him dont complain about Judge Marchan, hmmmmm

2 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

He did nothing unethical and no one can prove he did.

Tug can... so he says... "He’s obviously dirty and 100% biased"  

19 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Tug can... so he says... "He’s obviously dirty and 100% biased"  

It’s all out there reported on msm although I can’t vouch for fake faux news 

10 minutes ago, Tug said:

It’s all out there reported on msm although I can’t vouch for fake faux news 

Name one source which has proven that he acted unethically... just one... unlike you I read all the reports not just the liberal left rags... I cannot find one article that has arrived at a guilty verdict... please help.

It seems they want a review on taxes paid or not paid on gifts and forgiven loans.

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

He did nothing unethical and no one can prove he did.

 

But the same guys complaining about him dont complain about Judge Marchan, hmmmmm

Very ethical indeed

 

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

 

At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events, typically perched in the skybox; two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic coast.

57 minutes ago, kwonitoy said:

Very ethical indeed

 

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

 

At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events, typically perched in the skybox; two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic 

And how does all of that stuff violate ethics? You may want to cite the ethical prohibition involved.

Hint: You can't. All you guys can do is quote newspapers.

1 hour ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Name one source which has proven that he acted unethically... just one... unlike you I read all the reports not just the liberal left rags... I cannot find one article that has arrived at a guilty verdict... please help.

You're asking them to provide you with a purple unicorn

1 hour ago, Tug said:

It’s all out there reported on msm although I can’t vouch for fake faux news 

The fake Fox News that Democratic senators are fighting each other to get on. That's because nobody watches the competition of fox news. Except people that post made up empty Trump silliness on message boards.

 

 

23 hours ago, kwonitoy said:

Very ethical indeed

 

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

 

At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events, typically perched in the skybox; two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic coast.

 ProPublica is the left’s biggest muckraker you never heard of.