Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas released a statement on Friday responding to the hit piece from ProPublica that accused the conservative justice of violating judicial disclosure rules.
On April 6, ProPublica reported that during his tenure on the Supreme Court, Thomas and his wife Virginia had traveled on billionaire Harlan Crow’s yacht and private jet on several occasions.
Ethics “experts” quoted in the report claimed that by traveling with Crow, the Supreme Court justice violated disclosure rules that require judges to disclose large personal gifts.
Unsurprisingly, the corporate news media and Democrat lawmakers used the hit piece to once again demand Justice Thomas resign from the Court. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez even said she would introduce articles of impeachment against Thomas.
However, some saw the report for what it was, another brazen attempt to attack the conservative justice the Democrats deeply despise.
The Wall Street Journal editorial board blasted ProPublica for its hit piece, which it described as “The Smearing of Clarence Thomas.”
In his statement, Justice Thomas noted that he and Ginny have known Crow and his wife Kathy for more than 25 years and consider them among their “dearest friends.” He explained that it was because of that long friendship that the Thomases often joined the Crows on family trips.
Thomas explained that early in his tenure with the Supreme Court, he “sought guidance” from colleagues and “others in the judiciary” who advised him that these trips are “personal hospitality from close personal friends” who had no “business before the Court,” therefore the trips were “not reportable.”
Justice Thomas said he has followed that counsel throughout his time on the Court and has “always sought to comply with disclosure guidelines.” He noted that the disclosure guidelines are changing and he will follow those as well.
