The Washington Post reports that Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas has delayed his disclosures of interests amid reports of property sales and travel. Thomas has been in the news lately over valuable gifts, trips and valuable favors from a billionaire Republican donor, and the court's been in then news for its resistance to oversight or ethics rules. Justice Samuel Alito also asked for an extension, but has done so before without subsequently disclosing anything inappropriate.
Thomas's 2022 filing was highly anticipated after ProPublica reported on the justice's financial dealings with his close friend and benefactor, the Texas businessman Harlan Crow. Instead, Thomas will haveup to 90 additional days to submit his filing, which could include any amendments or updates related to his finances from past years.
Revised ethics rules adopted in March require the justices — and all federal judges — to provide a fuller public accounting of the free trips and other gifts they accept. The changes make clear, for instance, that judges must report travel by private jet. The revised rules were also designed to clarify which gifts can be counted as "personal hospitality" from a close friend and exempt from disclosure.
The cost of no-one doing anything about Supreme Court corruption will be rapid progress of the disease.
