By Tierney Sneed | CNN
The lifestyle enjoyed by Justice Clarence Thomas, funded by gifts and hospitality from wealthy friends, has been more extensive than previously known, according to a new ProPublica report. The report reveals that Thomas has received numerous flights on private planes, skybox tickets to sporting events, stays at luxury resorts, and a standing invitation to play at a high-end private golf club in Florida. These extravagant excursions and events often went unreported on Thomas’ financial disclosure forms. The report also sheds light on Thomas’ relationships with Republican megadonors, including Harlan Crow, David Sokol, the late H. Wayne Huizenga, and Paul “Tony” Novelly.
ProPublica conducted interviews with over 100 people and reviewed various records for their investigation. Thomas did not respond to ProPublica’s questions, while Novelly and Huizenga’s family declined to comment. Sokol acknowledged in a statement that he hosted the Thomases, but stated that they never discussed any pending court matter. ProPublica’s reporting reveals that Thomas has operated under a different set of ethical norms compared to other federal judges and government officials, raising questions about whether he broke the law by failing to report gifts and hospitality.
It is unclear how much the gifts and hospitality are worth, but ProPublica estimates that they are likely in the millions of dollars. The report comes as Democrats in Congress push for ethics reform for Supreme Court justices who currently do not have a firm ethics code. The justices have indicated that they believe they are voluntarily following the financial disclosure rules. Chief Justice John Roberts has hinted at the possibility of additional ethics practices, but there seems to be resistance within the court, particularly from Justice Samuel Alito. This report is the latest in a series of investigations into justices, particularly Thomas, failing to report gifts and hospitality on their financial disclosure forms.