US Supreme Court judge acknowledges receiving lavish gifts from billionaire

The judge of the Supreme Court of USA Clarence Thomas acknowledged this Thursday that he received free trips from a billionaire in the state of Texasamid growing criticism of the high court for accepting gifts from private donors.

Thomas, who until now had not reported a lavish vacation on behalf of the Republican real estate mogul Harlan Crowdivulged in a report that last year she flew on Crow’s private jet for security reasons after a controversial court decision striking down abortion rights was leaked.

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In the report, Thomas argues that the ruling had “increased security risk” and that your team “recommended non-commercial flights where possible”.

In his official 2022 financial statement, Thomas, the longest-serving judge on the court and also the most conservative, did not disclose a free vacation in Bali aboard a 49-meter Crow yacht, nor stays in luxury hotels that the tycoon paid for.

In a series of publications, the investigative medium ProPublica It showed that since the 2000s Thomas has accepted many free trips and other gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars from Crow, but also from other wealthy benefactors.

Crow paid for Thomas’ great-nephew’s private school and bought the house where the judge’s mother lives, according to ProPublica.

The real estate mogul also donated $500,000 to the lobby group he founded Ginniwife of Thomas.

None of these movements were reported in past financial statements, according to Thomas because he considered that it was a “personal hospitality exemption” and that he did not need to declare those trips and vacations.

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In a statement, Thomas’ attorney, Elliott Berkesaid that any errors in his client’s reports were “strictly involuntary”.

“Judge Thomas has always stood for complete transparency and commitment to the law, including when it comes to personal travel that must be reported”, he added.

The lawyer criticized the accusations towards Thomas and described them as “ridiculous and dangerous”, and attributed them to “left-wing organizations motivated by hatred of judicial philosophy” of the 75-year-old judge.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.