The recent revelations of lavish gifts and travel that a Republican megadonor showered on Justice Clarence Thomas reflect a larger Supreme Court culture of nondisclosure, little explanation, and no comment.
The justices have provided less and less information regarding travel and gifts on their annual financial disclosure forms over the years. Earlier in the 2000s, for example, Thomas listed some private-plane travel similar in nature to some of the trips he later withheld which were detailed in a ProPublica report last week.
In a brief statement responding to the story of his relationship with billionaire real estate magnate Harlan Crow, Thomas said his colleagues and others in the judiciary had advised that he need not report “this sort of hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court.” He did not reveal with whom he had conferred or whether Chief Justice John Roberts, who declined to comment, was consulted.
The incident reflects the broader lack of accountability at the high court regarding off-bench behavior. Justices regularly brush aside reporters’ queries for specifics on travel and gifts, book advances and other extracurricular activities.
They have repeatedly spurned calls by members of Congress that they adopt a formal ethics code. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin made another such plea to Roberts this week as he also urged the chief justice to open an investigation into Thomas’ conduct.
At the same time, the high court has long benefited from a certain degree of good will, free of the scrutiny watchdog groups and news media have given the legislative and executive branches of government.
They may have squandered that good will.
Polls show the public approval of the court – now controlled by a conservative supermajority – plunging. The pattern was…
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