A few of our stories and columns are now in front of the paywall. We at The Chief-Leader remain committed to independent reporting on labor and civil service. It's been our mission since 1897. You can have a hand in ensuring that our reporting remains relevant in the decades to come. Consider supporting The Chief, which you can do for as little as $3.20 a month.
To the editor:
In “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words,” the associate justice said the following in discussing travel preferences: “I prefer RV Parks. I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. There’s something normal to me about it. I come from regular stock. I prefer that …”
Contrast this statement with the ProPublica expose of the 20 years of super luxury trips that Thomas and his wife, Ginni Thomas, have taken with Texas billionaire Harlan Crow. These super luxury trips all around the world, including New Zealand and a trip to Indonesia, would have cost Thomas $500,000 if he paid for it himself.
Crow’s upstate property, where Thomas has visited a number of times, has three boat houses, 25 fireplaces, a perfect replica of a Harry Potter house, a clay tennis court where the guests get served milkshakes from his staff at a 1950s style soda fountain. His guests, including Thomas, travel in private jets and get to ride in a super yacht. Several of the many gifts Thomas received from Harlan Crow are a $19,000 Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass, and a $105,000 Justice Thomas Portrait Fund for Yale.
There are serious ethical problems with the gifts that Thomas has received for so many years — at least one trip a year for over 20 years, according to ProPublica. The probability of conflicts of interest and influence peddling for the highest level justice on the Supreme Court are obvious.
Crow responded to the ProPublica article by saying that he never discussed cases in court with Thomas, but with so many wealthy and powerful political and business people on these trips, including Leonard Leo, a legal activist and former vice president of the powerful, ultra conservative Federalist Society, Crow can’t say what others discussed with Thomas.
As ProPublica noted, when Justice Thomas is with Harlan Crow, there is a public servant living like a billionaire.
Personally, Mr. Crow, I would come a lot cheaper than Thomas: You could have had me for milk shakes from that 1950’s soda fountain — and no private jet — I’ll take the train home.
Michael J. Gorman
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here