Joe Biden and Clarence Thomas have been involved in a decades-long legal battle over Hill's testimony alleging sexual harassment by Thomas. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at that time, Biden was responsible for running the hearing which is now seen as an inflection point in America’s reckoning with workplace sexual harassment issues. While supporters of Judge Clarence Thomas blamed then-Chairman Joe Biden for allowing the hearings to spin out of control and become a televised spectacle, Hill's supporters criticized him for permitting Republican senators on the committee to portray her as mentally unstable.
Recently though, an investigative report by non-profit newsroom ProPublica has uncovered trips taken aboard billionaire Harlan Crow's private jet between Connecticut and Washington D.C., involving Justice Clarence Thomas. This discovery led to further revelations about ultra-luxury vacations enjoyed by Justice Thomas paid for by Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow.
Senator Dick Durbin (D), Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee said this report serves as "a call to action." The fallout from these findings underscores journalism produced through non-profit sources such as ProPublicA.
Justice Clarence Thomas defended his actions stating that he considered himself compliant with disclosure rules announced last month regarding tightened exemptions concerning personal hospitality expenses not clearly defined previously. He admitted failure in disclosing information about privately owned resorts like one belonging to Mr.Crow but added that new guidelines are being developed which might require reporting similar trips going forward.
Thomas argued that years ago he received guidance suggesting disclosures related to other people paying for his vacations were unnecessary since they didn't fall under strict definitions laid out within existing guidelines at that time.
Justice Clarence also emphasized how close friends both Mr.Harland Crowe & wife Kathy had remained over almost 25 years while adding federal law mandates officials file annual forms detailing their finances including outside income, travel by private jet & commercial property stays.
Harlan Crow confirmed that he has extended “hospitality” to Justice Thomas and his wife over the years but denies any intentions of influencing matters before the court.