New York University law professor Stephen Gillers, an authority on legal ethics, said Thomas’ statement “is an abdication of his responsibility” under ethics guidelines.
“Thomas is shamelessly seeking to shift the blame for his failure to report Crow’s princely hospitality to advice he allegedly received from other Justices when he joined the court more than 30 years ago. Most of them are now dead and, conveniently, cannot contradict him,” Gillers wrote in an email.
University of Pittsburgh ethics expert Arthur Hellman said that even if Thomas could reasonably have believed he did not have to report Crow’s gifts, he still should have. “It would have been preferable in the sense of public confidence in the courts if he had disclosed,” Hellman said. The new reporting requirements appear to cover almost all the travel and lodging Crow provided, Hellman said. The mere need to disclose could make judges more reluctant to accept the gifts in the first place, he said.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas repeatedly accepted undisclosed luxury trips, report saysSupreme Court justices are required to file an annual financial disclosure report which asks them to list gifts they have received. It was not clear why Thomas omitted the trips.
Read more »
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Accepted Luxury Trips Paid for by GOP Megadonor, ProPublica ReportsThe report of the connection between Thomas and conservative businessman Harlan Crow is already adding to calls that Congress investigate potential ethical lapses. Key Senate Democrats were previously mulling using this year’s funding legislation for the Supreme Court to pressure the justices to adopt some sort of ethics code.
Read more »
Report on Justice Thomas' trips renews calls for a Supreme Court code of ethicsA ProPublica investigation found the justice accepted luxury trips from a major GOP donor. The story is renewing the Democrat push for a code of ethics for justices of the Supreme Court.
Read more »
Report on Justice Thomas' trips renews calls for a Supreme Court code of ethicsA ProPublica investigation found Justice Thomas accepted luxury trips from a major GOP donor. The story is renewing Democrats' push for a code of ethics for justices of the Supreme Court.
Read more »
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says he didn't have to disclose luxury trips with megadonorSupreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Friday he was not required to disclose the many trips he and his wife took that were paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.
Read more »
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says he didn't have to disclose luxury trips with megadonorSupreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Friday he was not required to disclose the many trips he and his wife took that were paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.
Read more »