# Clarence Thomas secretly accepted luxury vacations from GOP donor without disclosing **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 6, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252 "2023-04-06T14:10:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/1 "2023-04-06T14:10:28Z")
> **[Clarence Thomas Secretly Accepted Luxury Trips From Major GOP Donor](https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow)** > > Island-hopping on a superyacht. Private jet rides around the world. The undisclosed gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the Supreme Court. “It’s incomprehensible to me that someone would do this,” says one former judge. In short, a big money Republican donor has been inviting Thomas on swanky yacht and resort trips for free, and ethics rules require disclosure of these sorts of gifts. What can be done about it? Probably nothing, unless John Roberts has any power (or, less likely, inclination) to do anything. Republicans in the Senate certainly won’t cooperate. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/2 "2023-04-06T14:19:29Z")
Nothing will be done about it. The Thomas’ have been publicly corrupt for years. Her consulting business is nothing more than selling access to the Court and she was an active participant in an attempted coup. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/3 "2023-04-06T14:36:21Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > What can be done about it? Just impeachment which won’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/4 "2023-04-06T14:42:48Z")
We know how much Republicans are against selling political access via family members, so I’m very sure they will be outraged by this and demand his removal from office. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/5 "2023-04-06T14:48:05Z")
As others have said, things can be done about it (including expanding the court), but 99.9% chance nothing will be done. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/6 "2023-04-06T14:52:51Z")
I’m sorry, but this strikes me as nothing more than a simple error in judgment. Maybe y’all are setting the bar a bit too high. Why _on Earth_ would you expect a Justice of the SCOTUS to be able to tell right from wrong? /s ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/7 "2023-04-06T14:54:06Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > ethics rules For the Supreme Court? Bwahahahaha!!! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/8 "2023-04-06T14:57:06Z")
Now, now, if a _liberal_ member of the court had done this, they’d have been impeached yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/9 "2023-04-06T15:11:48Z")
For some reason, I had a brain fart and read the OP as: Clarence Thomas secretly accepted luxury vaccination from GOP donor without disclosing. Much, albeit very brief, confusion ensued. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/10 "2023-04-06T15:18:40Z")
Rather pencil that thought in over here? > [@Misread thread titles](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misread-thread-titles/796093): > > This morning , I thought it said “Just porcupines”. Turned out to be Just punchlines, over in Thread Games. That ever happen to you? Glad CT’s getting exposed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/11 "2023-04-06T15:21:22Z")
It’s sad just how unsurprising this is to me. The state of our country is just tragic. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/12 "2023-04-06T15:26:05Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Now, now, if a _liberal_ member of the court had done this, they’d have been impeached yesterday. In Wisconsin (and nationally, I think), the right is already discussing impeaching the newly elected WI Supreme court justice, Janet Protasiewicz. She only won two days ago and won’t be sworn in for a few months. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/13 "2023-04-06T15:41:12Z")
This needs to reported in the press over and over until people realize how unethical it is for any judge, let alone a supreme court justice. Get the facts and eventually it will sink in that corruption by anyone at any level is wrong. I’m tired of the double standard. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/14 "2023-04-06T15:47:46Z")
I wish you were right, but in today’s environment whenever someone is caught doing something unethical, or even illegal, rather than deny it, they will just say “yeah, so?” ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/15 "2023-04-06T15:53:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > _In Wisconsin (and nationally, I think), the right is already discussing impeaching the newly elected WI Supreme court justice, Janet Protasiewicz. She only won two days ago and won’t be sworn in for a few months._ Did you happen to see the “concession” speech by her opponent? It was a long, angry, bile-filled diatribe. Aside from T—p, I’ve never heard anything so nasty and unsportsmanlike. What a crybaby! Thanks to T—p, this is the kind of thing we can expect in every election from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/16 "2023-04-06T15:54:20Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > It was a long, angry, bile-filled diatribe. Aside from T—p, I’ve never heard anything so nasty and unsportsmanlike. Actually, it was worse than Trump because you could follow what he was saying. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/17 "2023-04-06T16:09:13Z")
Expanding the court would ensure that the next Republican administration will also expand it. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/18 "2023-04-06T16:12:48Z")
Yes, and? The court is already Republican. How would that be worse? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/19 "2023-04-06T16:38:15Z")
It would set a precedent for each incoming administration to add members to the court. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/20 "2023-04-06T16:56:11Z")
In a perfect world Thomas would be forced to resign in disgrace. But that would require the GOP to have some sense of ethics and accountability. Unfortunately the only thing they’re concerned about is “OMG that would leave an opening for another liberal on the court.” Which trumps everything (pun intended). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252.md?page=2)