It’s not a good day for Justice Clarence Thomas. The Supreme Court judge is facing allegations of corruption after he accepted several unreported luxury vacations funded by billionaire GOP mega-doner Harlan Crow. And now U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is calling for his impeachment.
Ocasio-Cortez added her voice to the growing number of politicians and activists troubled over Thomas’ under-the-table dealings with Crow, which was recently reported by ProPublica. On Twitter, she explained that this situation goes “beyond party or partisanship” and says Thomas “must be impeached.”
As a notoriously conservative judge, Thomas’ close affiliation with Crow raises concerns of influential sway, especially since Crow has long had a hand in donating to efforts to push the needle as far right as possible. But that’s not the only issue here, nor the main one.
According to U.S. law, judicial officers are required to disclose large expenses such as private jet flights, yacht cruises, and funded private resorts, all of which Thomas has accepted on behalf of Crow for nearly 20 years. Really, Justices are supposed to report gifts, or “anything of value” that aren’t fully reimbursed, totaling more than $145.
Former ethics lawyer, Virginia Canter pointed out the ethical issues surrounding Thomas’s affiliation with Crow, saying he “seems to have completely disregarded his higher ethical obligations. When a justice’s lifestyle is being subsidized by the rich and famous, it absolutely corrodes public trust,” according to ProPublica.
Justice Clarence Thomas has not yet commented on his involvement with Crow. In 2021, when it was revealed that his wife, Ginni Thomas had assisted Donald Trump in pushing the false narrative of election fraud during the 2020 election, Thomas also remained silent. He has never formally addressed the matter; only time will tell if his questionable financial practices with Crow will finally force him to speak up.