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Senate Democrats Detail More Undisclosed Luxury Trips for Justice Thomas

ProPublica's investigative series continues to detail a pattern of Justice Clarence Thomas's previously undisclosed luxury trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors, fueling a national conversation on Supreme Court ethics. A federal judge testifies that the Judicial Conference improperly handled 2011 ethics complaints against Thomas regarding financial disclosures, alleging failure to notify leadership and refer potential willful violations. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse now leads Senate scrutiny into the federal judiciary's handling of these 2011 complaints, seeking information on how its governance body responded to the prior finding that Thomas's lapses in reporting his wife's income were not "willful" misconduct.

18Articles

Day 1156Start: April 2023

↑ 12 MayLast Change

Day 1132 · 12 May 2026

DEVELOPMENTcampaignlegal.org

UPDATE: What is the Status of Justice Clarence Thomas’ Ethics Investigation?

The Judicial Conference of the United States indicated in March 2024 that it was likely conducting an ethics review of Justice Clarence Thomas for potential violations of the Ethics in Government Act (EIGA). However, three months later, no information from this meeting regarding the ethics review has been made public. The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has written another letter requesting an update, emphasizing the Judicial Conference's unique position and responsibility to refer cases of willful violation to the U.S. Attorney General.

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Day 825 · 9 July 2025

OPINIONamericanprogress.org

Revelations About Justice Clarence Thomas Reinforce the Need for Justices to Be Bound by an Ethics Code

This article argues that recent revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas's conduct highlight the urgent need for Supreme Court justices to be bound by a comprehensive code of ethics. It points out that confidence in the court is at an all-time low due to justices not being subject to the same ethics rules as other federal officials. The author asserts that Thomas has accepted undisclosed gifts for decades, reinforcing the call for reform.

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Day 638 · 3 January 2025

DEVELOPMENTscotusblog.com

Federal courts won’t refer Clarence Thomas for DOJ investigation

Federal courts will not refer complaints regarding Justice Clarence Thomas's alleged ethics violations to the Department of Justice for investigation. The Judicial Conference of the United States rejected requests from Democratic lawmakers, citing Thomas's filing of amended financial disclosure forms. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad Jr. indicated that Thomas had addressed some issues and questioned the Judicial Conference's power to refer Supreme Court justices for such investigations.

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Day 627 · 22 December 2024

NEWSnpr.org

Review by Senate Democrats finds more unreported luxury trips by Clarence Thomas

Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee released a report detailing additional unreported luxury trips taken by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 2021, including private jet and yacht travel sponsored by Harlan Crow. This review found Thomas failed to disclose these trips on his annual financial forms, prompting calls for Congress to establish stricter ethics enforcement for the Supreme Court. The report highlights ongoing concerns about judicial ethics and public confidence in the court.

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Day 517 · 4 September 2024

NEWSforbes.com

Clarence Thomas: Here Are All The Ethics Scandals Involving The Supreme Court Justice Amid New Ginni Thomas Report

Senator Ron Wyden revealed more undisclosed trips taken by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with real estate magnate Harlan Crow, intensifying ethics scandals surrounding the justice. The article also highlights ethical concerns regarding Thomas's wife, Ginni Thomas, and her political activism, including groups submitting briefs to the Supreme Court. These revelations have led to calls for Thomas's recusal or removal and for the court to establish a binding code of ethics.

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Day 441 · 20 June 2024

NEWSThe Guardian

US ethics watchdog calls on Clarence Thomas to resign over undisclosed gifts

An ethics watchdog, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), has publicly called for Justice Clarence Thomas to resign following revelations of his failure to disclose lavish gifts and financial support from Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow. CREW's open letter asserts that Thomas's conduct likely violated civil and criminal laws, creating an impression of corruption and severely undermining the Supreme Court's legitimacy. Thomas previously stated he was advised not to declare gifts from Crow but would do so in the future, while Crow and Leonard Leo deny wrongdoing.

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Day 402 · 11 May 2024

NEWSnpr.org

Justice Thomas decries 'nastiness' and 'lies' against him

Justice Clarence Thomas publicly stated that he and his wife have faced "nastiness" and "lies" over the past few years, calling Washington, D.C. a "hideous place." He made these remarks at an 11th Circuit Judicial Conference in Fairhope, Alabama. The statements come amidst increased scrutiny and criticism regarding his financial disclosures and ethical conduct.

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Day 402 · 11 May 2024

NEWSaxios.com

Clarence Thomas makes most substantial public comments since ethics probe

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made his most substantial public comments since the ethics probe, condemning critics and "nastiness" at a judicial conference in Alabama. Thomas, however, did not directly address the ethics questions concerning his failure to disclose costly trips sponsored by a Republican megadonor. His remarks follow the Supreme Court's adoption of a new code of conduct for justices, implemented after the investigation became public.

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Day 401 · 11 May 2024

NEWSrollingstone.com

Clarence Thomas Complains About ‘Awful’ People After His Ethics Scandals

Justice Clarence Thomas criticized the "nastiness" and "lies" he and his wife have faced, calling Washington D.C. a "hideous place," at a judicial conference in Alabama. His remarks followed bombshell reports by ProPublica revealing that conservative megadonor Harlan Crow had funded Thomas's lavish lifestyle for decades without disclosure. These reports detailed gifts including private jet travel, a property purchase, and boarding school tuition for his grandnephew.

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Day 385 · 25 April 2024

NEWSgijn.org

How ProPublica Exposed Ethics Scandals at the US Supreme Court

ProPublica launched an investigative series revealing extensive ethics scandals at the U.S. Supreme Court, particularly detailing luxury vacations and gifts received by Justice Clarence Thomas from billionaire Harlan Crow without disclosure. This exposé highlighted private access wealthy benefactors gained to justices and prompted significant reforms within the nation's high court. The series has contributed to a national conversation about judicial ethics and transparency.

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Day 282 · 12 January 2024

NEWStheweek.com

A running list of Clarence Thomas' controversies

This article provides a running list of controversies surrounding Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, detailing a "yearslong pattern" of undisclosed luxury vacations and gifts from wealthy benefactors, particularly Harlan Crow. It highlights that Thomas has taken at least 38 destination vacations and numerous private jet flights, all underwritten by individuals who share his ideological views. The article notes that the Supreme Court adopted a code of ethics in 2023 largely due to the controversies surrounding Thomas, emphasizing concerns about the court's perceived legitimacy.

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Day 42 · 17 May 2023

NEWSnews.bloomberglaw.com

Thomas 2011 Ethics Complaints Not ‘Properly’ Handled, Judge Says

A federal judge, Mark Wolf, testified before a Senate subcommittee, stating that the 2011 ethics complaints against Justice Clarence Thomas regarding his financial disclosures were not "properly" handled by the Judicial Conference. Wolf, a former member of the Judicial Conference, detailed concerns that the panel enforcing disclosure rules did not notify leadership about complaints regarding Thomas's undisclosed income for his wife and travel with Harlan Crow. He argued that federal law obligates the Judicial Conference to refer matters to the Justice Department if there's "reasonable cause" for willful violation, which was not adequately considered.

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Day 36 · 11 May 2023

NEWSpropublica.org

The Origins of Our Investigation Into Clarence Thomas’ Relationship With Harlan Crow

ProPublica describes the origins of its investigative reporting into Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's relationship with billionaire Harlan Crow, which uncovered lavish travel, a real estate deal, and tuition arrangements that were previously undisclosed. This reporting has ignited a national conversation about Supreme Court ethics, with senators like Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham debating the legitimacy of the court and the need for reform. The ongoing controversy has prompted other news organizations and Congress to increase scrutiny of the high court.

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Day 34 · 9 May 2023

NEWSbloomberg.com

Clarence Thomas’s 2011 Ethics Complaints Are Under Senate Scrutiny

Senate scrutiny is being applied to the federal judiciary's handling of ethics complaints against Justice Clarence Thomas from 2011, which concerned his failure to disclose his wife's income. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is pressing the U.S. court system for information on how its governance body responded to these earlier revelations. A committee of judges previously concluded that Thomas's lapses in reporting Ginni Thomas's income were not "willful" misconduct, but details were not shared publicly.

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Day 29 · 5 May 2023

NEWSforbes.com

Clarence Thomas: Here Are All The Ethics Scandals Involving The Supreme Court Justice Amid New Ginni Thomas Report

Senator Ron Wyden disclosed additional previously unreported trips taken by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with real estate magnate Harlan Crow, further fueling ethics scandals. The report also reiterates concerns about Thomas's wife, Ginni Thomas, and her conservative activism, including her involvement with groups that have submitted briefs to the Supreme Court. These accumulating controversies have intensified calls for the Supreme Court to adopt a binding code of ethics and for Justice Thomas to potentially recuse himself.

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Day 21 · 27 April 2023

OPINIONrsn.org

The Supreme Court's Tone-Deaf Response to the Clarence Thomas Corruption Scandal

The Supreme Court released a document addressing its ethical standards following revelations from ProPublica about Justice Clarence Thomas accepting lavish gifts from billionaire Harlan Crow without disclosure. This document, the Court's most robust public statement on ethics in over a decade, was part of Chief Justice John Roberts's response to a letter from Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin. Critics argue the response was tone-deaf and failed to adequately address the specific issues raised by Thomas's actions, focusing instead on other ethical matters like teaching fees.

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Day 19 · 24 April 2023

NEWSnpr.org

Justice Thomas gifts scandal highlights 'double standard' for ethics in government

Ethics watchdogs are raising alarms over Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's failure to disclose lavish gifts from conservative billionaire Harlan Crow, highlighting a perceived "double standard" in government ethics. Federal workers and other officials are typically required to disclose such gifts, contrasting with the Supreme Court's historical lack of a binding ethics code. This situation has led to calls for greater accountability and transparency within the judiciary.

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Day 1 · 6 April 2023

NEWSpropublica.org

Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted numerous luxury trips and gifts from real estate magnate Harlan Crow over two decades, including international superyacht and private jet travel, without disclosing them. These trips, costing potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, included visits to Indonesia, the Bohemian Grove, and Crow's properties. The extent of these undisclosed gifts is unprecedented in modern Supreme Court history, raising significant ethics concerns.

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Senate Democrats Detail More Undisclosed Luxury Trips for Justice Thomas | Zakar