Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas received almost all of the nearly $5 million in “gifts” given to justices since 2004, according to a liberal watchdog.
The new data were released by Fix the Court, a group born from the liberal nonprofit organization New Venture Fund. Its release comes as Thomas has been heavily scrutinized by Democrats for his accepting of “gifts,” which the Left has argued taints his impartiality. Thomas has received an estimated $4,042,286 in gifts, out of $4,755,147 received by all 17 current and retired justices since 2004.
If another 126 “likely” gifts given to Thomas are added, the total rises to $6,592,657, amounting to 672 gifts total. Even this, the watchdog said, is likely an undercount.
The single most expensive gift was five trips to Bohemian Grove, valued at $262,500. Among his other gifts were private flights, tickets to sports games, helicopter rides, and meals and lodging in Jamaica.
Most of the gifts were already documented in ProPublica reports, which began the backlash against Thomas. He has not been proven to have done anything wrong, and responded to criticisms in April.
“Harlan and Kathy Crow are among our dearest friends, and we have been friends for over twenty-five years. As friends do, we have joined them on a number of family trips during the more than quarter century we have known them,” Thomas and his wife said in a statement. “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.”
“I have endeavored to follow that counsel throughout my tenure, and have always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines,” the statement continued. “These guidelines are now being changed, as the committee of the Judicial Conference responsible for financial disclosure for the entire federal judiciary just this past month announced new guidance. And, it is, of course, my intent to follow this guidance in the future.”
Republicans have argued that Democrats’ critiques of Thomas, as well as Justice Samuel Alito, are part of a smear campaign to delegitimize the court in an effort to win back control in the judiciary.
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Fix the Court has been plagued with its own problems, with leader Gabe Roth admitting failures with the group. He also unwittingly provided unredacted copies of the group’s donors to the Washington Examiner.
The justices’ new financial disclosure reports are due to be released on Friday.