It Could Happen to Anybody

So, it’s now been reported that, over time, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has taken in over $4 million in gifts.  Most of that has been unreported.  But the implication of this when stated is that if it been reported, then it would have been okay.  It, of course, would not have been okay.  Especially since, if it had been reported, alarm bells would have gone off after the first $10,000.

I believe the next closest amount of gifts received by a Supreme Court Justice during the same period was $100,000 that went unreported for a trip.  To no one’s shock, that went to Justice Sam Alito -- and his Mrs.  (I will leave out saying that when this story was reported, it sent up a red flag.)

As for the rest of Justices, I believe the total amount of gifts they’ve received ranges in the amount that is best describes as “peanuts.”  Which puts Clarence Thomas’ $4 million worth of gifts in their own stratospheric perspective.

But what leaps out to me is not the total – and their sources, some of which are ludicrous, like having his mother’s home, for which Thomas had a 1/3 interest, bought by a billionaire who collects Nazi paraphernalia, as a kindly “gift” just to be nice, because after all who doesn’t –  but just one item in particular.

That would be the previously unreported gift of a $500,000 trip that Supreme Justice Clarence Thomas, who oversees interpreting the U.S. Constitution, said he “unintentionally omitted” from recording.

Hey, who doesn’t “unintentionally omit” a $500,000 gift?  Especially if you’re a Supreme Court Justice who oversees interpreting the U.S. Constitution who is required by law to report gifts he receives.  But then, in fairness, to put this in perspective, who hasn’t “unintentionally omitted” a $500,000 trip?  It can happen to anybody.

“So, Clarence, been anywhere interesting when the Court was out of session?  Got any trip photos you want to show us tonight?”  Nah, we haven’t been anywhere recently.  Have we, honey?  Let’s play mahjong.

“Hey, Ginni. What’s up with work?”  No, no, don’t say anything, honey, I don’t want to know!!!  We never talk about our work.  I have no idea what she does.  We keep it separate.  Do you even have a job, honey?  No, wait, don’t tell me.

Everyone forgets their half-a-million dollar trips.  Every forgets about reporting their half-a-million dollar gifts that they’re required to do as part of the ethics requirement for their job, most especially it’s a lifetime appointment for overseeing the laws of the land under the U.S. Constitution.

And this doesn’t even touch the other $3,500,000 you got as “gifts.”

Just the $500,000 trip you got as a gift that you “unintentionally omitted.”

But this isn't just about Clarence Thomas.  We know who he is.  This is about the elected Republicans in the U.S. Senate who are okay with it all, and even just blocked a bill to tighten up ethics requirements for the Supreme Court.

Because a Supreme Court Justice with a lifetime appointment to oversee the U.S. Constitution getting $4 million in gifts and "unintentionally omitting a $500,000 gift for a trip, that's normal, that's okay.

It could happen to anybody.

If your name is Clarence Thomas.