Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has reported up to $750,000 in income from a company that no longer exists, according to reports. The company was formed in 1982 with Ginni Thomas' sister Joanne Elliot listed as the manager. However, Thomas has not updated the new company status in nearly 20 years since the original company shuttered.
This revelation is part of a series of errors and omissions that Justice Thomas has made on required annual financial disclosure forms over the past several decades. Among these alleged discrepancies are his failure to disclose the sale of his mother's Georgia home to a hard-right Republican billionaire and providing his wife with lavish vacation getaways for years.
The Supreme Court justices are held to lower ethical standards than anyone else in government; however, these recent findings raise concerns about whether they still violate rules governing their conduct. In addition to this questionable income reporting, it was recently revealed that Justice Thomas accepted secret luxury trips from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow for more than two decades—an apparent violation of financial disclosure laws.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Democratic majority, called for an investigation into Justice Thomas' behavior: "These revelations warrant close scrutiny and demand greater transparency," he said. A hearing will be held shortly on restoring confidence in Supreme Court ethical standards.
Justice Clarence Thomas defended both himself and Mr. Crow against accusations surrounding their relationship by stating he sought guidance from colleagues within the judiciary before accepting any gifts or invitations: "I have always been diligent about following rules regarding disclosures."
Despite mounting questions around his financial practices and potential conflicts of interest stemming from undisclosed relationships with powerful donors like Mr. Crow—whom he privately urged then White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows not to have President Trump concede after losing re-election—the highly respected justice remains steadfastly committed to maintaining his integrity on the nation's highest court.