Democratic House members sent a letter on Friday asking the Justice Department to launch an investigation into Thomas’ conduct.
Democrats are pressing the Justice Department to launch an investigation into Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas following reports that he failed to disclose several gifts during his time on the bench.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday, five Democratic congressmen point to recent reports from ProPublica that allege Thomas was the recipient of several « valuable gifts » from a handful of billionaires, which included vacations, trips on private airplanes and private boarding school tuition payments for Thomas’ grandnephew while he was in the justice’s legal custody.
Under the Ethics of Government Act, justices are required to file annual disclosure reports regarding financial income and details on gifts and reimbursements. Lawmakers allege in Friday’s letter that violation of the disclosure requirements « can carry both civil and criminal legal penalties. »
Thomas has long been the center of controversy for his close relationship to billionaire Harlan Crow, a major donor to conservative political causes. His wife, Virginia « Ginni » Thomas, has also raised suspicions over her work as a far-right activist and her alleged efforts to help pressure state officials to overturn the 2020 election results.
« Justice Thomas’s consistent failure to disclose gifts and benefits from industry magnates and wealthy, politically active executives highlights a blatant disregard for judicial ethics as well as apparent legal violations, » read the letter. « No individual, regardless of their position or stature, should be exempt from legal scrutiny for lawbreaking.
