Justice Thomas slammed for allegedly taking yacht trip to Russia and chopper flight to Putin’s hometown

WASHINGTON, DC: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has faced allegations of failing to disclose a yacht trip to Russia, a private helicopter flight to a palace in President Vladimir Putin’s hometown, and numerous other gifts and loans from Texas businessman Harlan Crow, according to Daily Beast.

In a letter sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday, July 9, Democratic senators urged Garland to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate Justice Thomas, revealing a shocking catalog of “likely undisclosed gifts and income” from Crow, companies affiliated with Crow, and “other donors.”

Sens Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) asserted that Justice Clarence Thomas, who is deemed a conservative Supreme Court judge, may have committed tax fraud and breached other federal laws by “secretly” accepting gifts and raking in income potentially worth millions.

In the letter requesting the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, the Democratic lawmakers stated, “The Senate is not a prosecutorial body, and the Supreme Court has no fact-finding function of its own, making the executive role all the more important if there is ever to be any complete determination of the facts.” 

“We do not make this request lightly,” the letter stressed. 

What are supposed gifts that Justice Clarence Thomas hasn’t disclosed?

The potential undisclosed gifts list also includes a loan exceeding $267,000 provided by Anthony Welters, a close friend of SCOTUS Judge Thomas, the trip to Russia from the Baltics on a yacht, and the helicopter journey to Yusupov Palace in St Petersburg, as reported by ProPublica last year.

Allegations against Justice Clarence Thomas include failure to disclose his grandnephew's tuition fees, free lodging, real estate transactions, and home renovations. The letter intensified the effort from Democratic senators to hold Judge Thomas accountable for apparent ethics issues.

According to the senators, Justice Clarence Thomas' conduct may breach the Ethics in Government Act, which obliges officials, including Supreme Court justices, to annually report gifts and income received from external sources.

“It is a crime,” the report states, "To knowingly and willfully fail to file or report such information."

Since 2023, two Senate committees have been investigating the 1991 loan from Anthony Welters connected to Judge Thomas' luxury motor home purchase. In response to a New York Times request for comment on the purported loan, Welters previously stated that it was "satisfied."

This year, Justice Clarence Thomas tardily revealed some, but not all of the gifts from billionaire Republican donor Crow and has justified the gifts as "personal hospitality" from "dearest friends" of him and his wife.

Sens Whitehouse and Wyden wrote, “The evidence assembled thus far plainly suggests that Justice Thomas has committed numerous willful violations of federal ethics and false-statement laws and raises significant questions about whether he and his wealthy benefactors have.”

Internet fumes as Democratic senators claim Justice Clarence Thomas took a free yacht trip to Russia

One X user remarked, "Corruption in the U.S. justice system. Quelle surprise."

Another user claimed, "MAGA and the kremlin are on the same continuum of lawlessness, corruption and evil. But somehow, it’s Ukraine that’s too corrupt to be in NATO."

Another user said, "Religious nationalists are lining up for Putin's neo-fascism."

One user argued, "Whoa im telling you these are no longer republicans in USA and not even close to conservatives. They are grifters like trump."

Another X user wrote, "Shameless!"

Finally, this user tweeted, "Clarence Thomas is one of many traitors abusing a government position of power and authority."

 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.