(LibertySociety.com) – After months of scrutinization by Democratic lawmakers and the liberal media, United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas aims to set the record straight about his disclosures. Thomas released an independent legal audit of his finances, which contradicts the claims made in a ProPublica investigation that was published back in April. The audit found that there was “no willful ethics transgression,” adding that any errors in reporting were unintentional. Thomas’s disclosure from 2022 gives new details about the hospitality that he received from his family friend of over a quarter of a century, Harlan Crow.
Justice Thomas flew on Crow’s private plane after a conference he was speaking at was cut short due to an ice storm and his Southwest Airlines commercial flight was impacted. He later flew private again with Crow when the conference was rescheduled but disclosed that his security had recommended against flying commercially after the leak of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in May 2022. Thomas disclosed a total of four private flights in 2022, as required by the newly adopted Judicial Conference regulations. Previously, transportation accommodations were considered to be personal hospitality and did not need to be disclosed, but the new regulations require the justices to report all non-commercial transportation that is provided.
The ProPublica report attempted to convince readers that Justice Thomas financially benefited from Crow’s purchase of three properties that Thomas owned, including his mother’s home. The independent audit provided exact details of the purchases, including how the sales were actually a financial loss for Thomas.
As one of Thomas’s closest friends, Crow has made it a personal endeavor to preserve and honor the justice’s life for historical purposes. Back when the ProPublica report was released, Thomas and Crow both spoke out about their long history as friends and denied any accusations of unethical behavior by Thomas. Democrat lawmakers have since attempted to sow doubt in the integrity of the Supreme Court, but their attacks have fallen flat. However, the mainstream media is focusing more on Thomas’s newest disclosures rather than correcting the ProPublica report with details from the independent audit.
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