We're as close as it gets, in the cellphone era, to someone just handing him a bag stuffed with cash. Venmo is where it's at.
Several lawyers who have had business before the supreme court, including one who successfully argued to end race-conscious admissions at universities, paid money to a top aide to Justice Clarence Thomas, according to the aide's Venmo transactions. … Vasisht's Venmo account – which was public prior to requesting comment for this article and is no longer – show that he received seven payments in November and December 2019 from lawyers who previously served as Thomas legal clerks.
Next up: "it was token amounts for a christmas gift roundup" or some-such, which is why why the aide immediately burned the envelope when a reporter called.
The line where this sort of thing actually becomes a problem for Thomas seems to be to "proof he promised specific outcomes in exchange for specific rewards." Short of that high bar, nothing will make a difference, no matter how blatant or outrageous. It might be a joke, it might be a scandal, it might delegitimize the whole bench, it might hasten America's descent into Troubles, but it will not change a thing about his presence on the court, the court's unwillingness to adhere to ethical standards, or Congress's willingness to impose them.
