# 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:** 26
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/503 "2023-11-14T01:25:14Z")
I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the loan forgiveness I referenced, and the educational “gift” along with others needed to be reported as income in terms of taxes. And I suspect, but do not KNOW, that Clarence has “in ignorance” not paid taxes on this and other such “gifts” in the last few decades. We (the Peons of the United States) may never know - but I’d love the IRS to check to make sure there aren’t other glaring “errors”. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/504 "2023-11-14T01:32:50Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > ISTM they already had a code of ethics which they have willfully ignored. Precisely. It’s not the lack of a code that is the problem, it’s the lack of a means (or willingness) to enforce it. > [@Chronos](#): > > The evidence suggests that he reported exactly what he intended to. “A wizard never pays too much, nor does he pay too little, he pays precisely what he means to on his taxes.” -Gandalf, in front of the IRS (Istari Revenue Service) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/505 "2023-11-14T01:42:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Cite that Thomas made any errors or mistakes in his tax returns? Ok. > The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court. > > These trips appeared nowhere on Thomas’ financial disclosures. His failure to report the flights appears to violate a law passed after Watergate that requires justices, judges, members of Congress and federal officials to disclose most gifts, two ethics law experts said. He also should have disclosed his trips on the yacht, these experts said. - [SOURCE](https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow) Gifts are taxable. If you go on “The Price is Right” game show and win $50,000 in prizes you need to pay taxes on $50,000 like it is income. IIRC there is an exemption of something like $17,000 in gifts but Thomas was waaaaay past $17,000. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/506 "2023-11-14T02:40:27Z")
No, no, I know that he didn’t do what he was supposed to do. But it wasn’t a mistake-- He did exactly what he intended to do. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/507 "2023-11-14T03:06:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But it wasn’t a mistake-- He did exactly what he intended to do. I suspect that @ParallelLines used ellipses before the word mistakes to indicate that they weren’t “mistakes” in the slightest, as you note. It might have been clearer if quotation marks were used around “mistakes,” or a /s was included to denote sarcasm. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/508 "2023-11-14T03:19:26Z")
Fair enough, we all could be better at our labeling. The assholes use coding to claim honest mistakes when they’re anything but, we should just call them out as the cheating, corrupt scum they are. Clarence Thomas that is, @Chronos isn’t cheating corrupt scum tot he best of my knowledge. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/509 "2023-11-14T10:08:44Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Clarence Thomas that is, @Chronos isn’t cheating corrupt scum tot he best of my knowledge. Maybe we should check @Chronos 's tax returns, just to be sure… Kidding, of course. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2023, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/510 "2023-11-14T15:40:09Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Gifts are taxable. If you go on “The Price is Right” game show and win $50,000 in prizes you need to pay taxes on $50,000 like it is income Game show income is taxable. Gifts are not, for the recipient. There may be gift tax consequences to the gifter. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/511 "2023-11-14T15:45:14Z")
Forgiven debt, which seems like a gift, is taxable for the borrower. That appears to be what happened with the land yacht. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/512 "2023-11-30T18:41:54Z")
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted today to issue subpoenas to Harlan Crow and Federalist Society Chairman Leonard Leo for information regarding gifts and trips that they provided to Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Committee Republicans walked out of the vote, which passed with all 11 Democrats voting aye. However, if Crow and Leo refuse to cooperate it would require the full Senate to vote to enforce the subpoenas (a motion that would require 60 votes to overcome a filibuster). ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/513 "2023-11-30T22:15:24Z")
Don’t think I saw this posted. But it really says it all. > **[Opinion | We Waited 200 Years for This Supreme Court Ethics Code?](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/14/opinion/supreme-court-ethics-code.html)** > > The Supreme Court’s new ethics code lacks any teeth and is full of language too fuzzy to hold justices accountable. And its tone is resentful. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/514 "2023-12-18T17:08:59Z")
ProPublica is at it again (and I love them for it). > **[Clarence Thomas’ Private Complaints About Money Sparked Fears He Would Resign](https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-money-complaints-sparked-resignation-fears-scotus)** > > Interviews and newly unearthed documents reveal that Thomas, facing financial strain, privately pushed for a higher salary and to allow Supreme Court justices to take speaking fees. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/515 "2023-12-18T17:49:55Z")
Gee, whatever happened to “live within your means”? Or is that only for us little people? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/516 "2023-12-18T17:54:52Z")
I had the exact same thought. Did he _need_ a $267,000 RV or pay $50,000/year to send his grandnephew to a private high school? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/517 "2023-12-18T17:57:25Z")
Hey, you can’t expect a Supreme! Court! JUSTICE!!! to live like a mere plebeian, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/518 "2023-12-18T17:57:50Z")
Maybe he should stop buying Starbucks lattes and he’d be able to afford the $250k RV without asking for a raise or taking bribes. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/519 "2023-12-18T18:11:18Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Did he _need_ a $267,000 RV or pay $50,000/year to send his grandnephew to a private high school? I thought Harlan Crow paid for the private school? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/520 "2023-12-18T18:14:50Z")
Yes…and the RV loan was forgiven (or paid for by someone else). That’s the problem. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/521 "2023-12-18T18:24:48Z")
I thought the RV loan was also from Crow? Is Thomas uniquely poor among Justices or something? Why does he need someone to buy his RV and pay for his mother’s house and his grandnephew’s private school? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/522 "2023-12-18T18:28:05Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Is Thomas uniquely poor among Justices or something? Sorta. The article notes that Thomas is, by far, the “poorest” of the supreme court judges. That said, his salary when he joined the court was the equivalent of $300,000/year in today’s money. It’s hard to call anyone earning that “poor.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252.md?page=27)