Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas arrives for the swearing in ceremony of Judge Neil Gorsuch as an Associate Supreme Court Justice within the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2017.Â
Joshua Roberts | Reuters
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas asked for more time to file his annual financial disclosure as he faces an ethics controversy over accepting pricey vacations and other largesse from Republican billionaire Harlan Crow.
Thomas will stand up to 90 more days to submit his required disclosure. Justice Samuel Alito, one other conservative, was the one other Supreme Court justice to request an extension.
The opposite seven justices filed their disclosures on time. They were publicly released Wednesday.
ProPublica recently revealed that Thomas for many years accepted luxury trips from Crow. The Texas real estate developer also purchased properties belonging to the conservative justice’s family in Georgia, and funded a part of his great-nephew’s private school education.
The revelations sparked harsh criticism of Thomas for failing to reveal the ties, and calls for ethics reform of the Supreme Court. Crow has said those gestures were done out of friendship and weren’t improper.
The Democratic-led Senate Judiciary Committee has sought information from Crow about his relationship with Thomas, however the billionaire has stonewalled those requests.
On Monday, a lawyer for Crow said that attorney was willing to talk with staff members of the Judiciary Committee, although he had “concerns” concerning the panel’s authority to analyze the situation.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who heads the committee, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., shot back on the lawyer’s stance, and implied they could subpoena Crow.
“Let’s be clear: Harlan Crow doesn’t call the shots here. He isn’t a branch — nor even a member — of presidency and can’t claim the protections and privileges of 1,” the 2 lawmakers said Monday .
“The Senate Judiciary Committee has clearly established oversight and legislative authority to evaluate and address the moral crisis facing the Court. All options are on the table moving forward.”
Crow recently told The Atlantic: “I think Justice Thomas to be an individual of the best character.
He also said that it’s “form of weird to think that for those who’re a justice on the Supreme Court, you’ll be able to’t have friends.”
