A group of House Democrats called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ relationship with right-wing billionaires.
The group wrote a letter Friday asking the Department of Justice to investigate Thomas and the undisclosed gifts he received from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow and other right-wing billionaires “for nearly two decades—in defiance of his duty under federal law.”
“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 legal violations,” the Democrats wrote. “No individual, regardless of their position or stature, should be exempt from legal scrutiny for lawbreaking.”
The letter was signed by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.).
The letter was sent one day after ProPublica reported that Thomas has been treated to at least 38 previously unreported luxury trips by Crow and other wealthy conservative friends, flew on 26 private jet flights, and given VIP access at sporting events and luxury resorts.
Thomas’ relationship with Crow has been under scrutiny since April when ProPublica reported that Thomas took secret lavish vacations on a private jet and superyacht paid for by Crow for years without disclosing them.
Thomas pushed back in a statement at the time saying he “sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary, and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the court, was not reportable.”Â
