# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/121 "2023-04-10T19:00:23Z")
For the same reason red-state legislatures are disenfranchising voters and expelling lawfully-elected representatives from their legislative bodies: to ensure that they keep control, and that they’ll never have to face a close vote on any issue of substance. Republicans are pursuing a program of permanent minority rule. Precedent is out the window. ---
**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 10, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/122 "2023-04-10T19:01:02Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > for several years Because the goal is not several years, the goal is _forever._ ---
**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 10, 2023, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/123 "2023-04-10T19:09:49Z")
And if they can’t have it forever, they won’t want anyone else to have it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/124 "2023-04-11T16:04:58Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > “It has come to my attention that information regarding my spouse’s employment required in Part III B of my financial disclosure report was inadvertently omitted due to a misunderstanding of the filing instructions,” [Thomas](http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3664143&page=1) wrote in a letter to the committee that handles the reports. Then he’s fucking incompetent, can’t read a document and understand simple directions and should be removed for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/125 "2023-04-11T16:16:15Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > the next time they have motive see here ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/126 "2023-04-11T16:41:32Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > Apparently the LA Times originally reported Thomas was pulling this BS which supposedly led to him stop disclosing it. > > [Los Angeles Times reported about Justice Clarence Thomas’ gifts 20 years ago. After that he stopped disclosing them](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/los-angeles-times-reported-about-justice-thomas-gifts-20-years-ago-after/#:~:text=It%20was%202004%20when%20the,and%20a%20prominent%20Republican%20donor). That would seem to suggest that he had a conscious understanding that what he was doing was wrong and that it needed to be hidden. Mens rea seems like the place where things go, fairly clearly, from an oversight due to the specifics of the rules and over to possible criminal behavior. The relevant law for a purposeful failure to disclose. > [@](#): > > **§ 104. Failure to file or filing false reports** > (a)(1) The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court against any individual who knowingly and willfully falsifies or who knowingly and willfully fails to file or report any information that such individual is required to report pursuant to section 102. The court in which such action is brought may assess against such individual a civil penalty in any amount, not to exceed $50,000. > (2)(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and willfully— > (i) falsify any information that such person is required to report under section 102; and > (ii) fail to file or report any information that such person is required to report under section 102. > (B) Any person who— > (i) violates subparagraph (A)(i) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both; and > (ii) violates subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code. I would, personally, recommend that Garland kick off another special counsel. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/127 "2023-04-11T16:56:46Z")
If there’s an investigation I sure as he\*l hope there’s no corrupt “good” judges. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/128 "2023-04-11T19:03:03Z")
The Senate is calling for an investigation, and if the Supreme Court doesn’t do it, the Senate will take action. > **[Senate Democrats call for investigation into Justice Clarence Thomas](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65241102)** > > The conservative Supreme Court justice faces a backlash for free luxury trips he did not disclose. > Democratic senators are calling for the Supreme Court to investigate Justice Clarence Thomas for failing to disclose reported luxury trips funded by a billionaire Republican donor. > > The Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have announced they will hold a hearing on Supreme Court ethics. > > The panel also warned of legislation, if the court does not resolve this issue on its own. Now, as far as legislation goes I expect that the Senate would need cooperation from the House, and the Republicans in the House would likely just declare this another witch hunt, so I don’t know that it would actually go anywhere. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2023, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/129 "2023-04-11T22:42:55Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Now, as far as legislation goes I expect that the Senate would need cooperation from the House, and the Republicans in the House would likely just declare this another witch hunt, so I don’t know that it would actually go anywhere. Of course, when a democrat justice was involved republicans wanted him out for arguably less egregious actions (dems wanted him out too). > Justice Abe Fortas’s departure from the court in 1969 is both a blueprint for how lawmakers could respond today and a benchmark of how far we have fallen. > > Fortas, a Democratic appointee, got caught up in a scandal that involved much smaller dollar amounts than the lavish trips Justice Thomas took, even factoring in inflation. Fortas accepted $20,000 to consult for a foundation working on civil rights and religious freedom. > > \< snip \> > > These Democrats called for Fortas to step down even though President Richard Nixon, a Republican, would appoint his successor, which would help to flip the court from a liberal majority to a conservative one. They made clear that they were more concerned with the court and the country than with their ideology or their party. “The confidence of our citizenry in the federal judiciary must be preserved,” Tydings declared. > **[Opinion | 54 Years Ago, a Supreme Court Justice Was Forced to Quit for...](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/opinion/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-abe-fortas.html)** > > Lawmakers from both parties urged him to resign. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/130 "2023-04-11T23:49:36Z")
I both salute those Democrats’ sense of ethics and shake my head at their stupidity in calling for his resignation. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/131 "2023-04-12T00:34:37Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > shake my head at their stupidity in calling for his resignation. Nixon replaced Fortas with Harry Blackmun; one of the most liberal justices to sit on the court. It was a different time. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/132 "2023-04-12T00:47:31Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Nixon replaced Fortas with Harry Blackmun; one of the most liberal justices to sit on the court. That, I didn’t know. Still…… ---
**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:** [April 12, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/133 "2023-04-12T00:53:54Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Nixon replaced Fortas with Harry Blackmun; one of the most liberal justices to sit on the court. It was a different time. Blackmun was a republican when he was appointed. I think after Blackmun and Souter being conservatives who went liberal the likes of the Federalist Society have become MUCH more careful in being certain a conservative nominee will be a reliable conservative for their whole tenure. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/134 "2023-04-12T04:04:38Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Nixon replaced Fortas with Harry Blackmun; one of the most liberal justices to sit on the court. It was a different time. ‘Tricky’ Dick Nixon was a flaming Marxist by modern GOP standards, and too honest by half. Stranger ---
**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 12, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/135 "2023-04-12T15:28:56Z")
So, the LA Times reported on gifts to Clarence Thomas 20 years ago, Thomas quit disclosing those gifts, _and nobody thought to follow up on that since then?_ ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/136 "2023-04-12T17:10:41Z")
Or, they assumed he stopped accepting them. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/137 "2023-04-12T18:50:34Z")
I wonder how many decisions CT sided with that Harlan Crow disagrees with? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/138 "2023-04-13T19:00:29Z")
Crow also bought property off him and planned to build Thomas a museum in his honor. [Clarence Thomas Didn’t Disclose Harlan Crow Real Estate Deal — ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-real-estate-scotus) “Both sides!” ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/139 "2023-04-13T19:15:52Z")
Hey Thomas, I’ll buy those properties you’re selling, and I’ll give you quite the fair price. Crow sure knows how to flow money to his friends. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252/140 "2023-04-13T19:17:54Z")
It looks like that’s a pretty clear legal violation–but it’s a violation of civil law. > **[5 U.S. Code § 13104 - Contents of reports](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/13104)** > [@](#): > > (C)Civil actions for violations.— > > (i)Knowing and willful violations.— > > The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court against any individual who knowingly and willfully violates the provisions of subparagraph (A) or (B) of this paragraph. The court in which such action is brought may assess against such individual a civil penalty in any amount not to exceed $10,000. > > (ii)Negligent violations.— > > The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court against any individual who negligently violates the provisions of subparagraph (A) or (B) of this paragraph. The court in which such action is brought may assess against such individual a civil penalty in any amount not to exceed $5,000. I may be misreading this, but if not, I would at least love to see a civil action brought against him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarence-thomas-secretly-accepted-luxury-vacations-from-gop-donor-without-disclosing/982252.md?page=8)