'Corrupt' Clarence Thomas ripped after report reveals billionaire donor paid relative’s tuition: 'Impeachable'
On Thursday, May 4, ProPublica published yet another bombshell report on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' relationship with billionaire GOP donor Harlan Crow. According to ProPublica reporters Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski, Crow paid thousands of dollars in boarding school tuition for Thomas' grandnephew Mark Martin.
The May 4 article follows ProPublica's reporting, on April 6, that Thomas, for more than 20 years, has "been treated to luxury vacations" by Crow and failed to report it. ProPublica also reported, on April 13, that Thomas sold a Georgia property to Crow and didn't report that either.
ProPublica's May 4 report has received countless reactions on Twitter.
READ MORE: 'Way outside the norm': Texas billionaire paid for private school tuition for Clarence Thomas’ child
MSNBC/NBC News legal analyst Glenn Kirschner, tweeting ProPublica's May 4 article, argued, "THIS. IS. IMPEACHABLE. Criminal former president jet-setting. Insurrectionists in Congress. Compromised Supreme Court Justices. Guns. Our republic is at extreme risk."
Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens For Responsibility and Ethics in Government (CREW), devoted an entire Twitter thread to ProPublica's report. According to Bookbinder, "This smacks of Thomas using his official position for personal gain. That's a major ethical problem in and of itself, as noted in the civil and criminal complaint @CREWcrew filed with the Chief Justice and the Attorney General."
Bookbinder added, "Also, Crow is a very wealthy person with business interests in the outcome of Court decisions, and someone who has dedicated much time and money to achieving conservative political objectives and conservative courts…. Taking these gifts is way beyond the pale. Failing to disclose them is unthinkable; any federal employee would know this. If this does not lead to a real investigation, and a binding code of conduct and inspector general for the Court, it's hard to imagine what would."
Mother Jones' David Corn tweeted, "This is getting ridiculous. Does Harlan Crow also pay for Clarence Thomas' robes? How many scandals can one Supreme Court justice generate? Thomas' continued presence on the court shows how deeply corruption has infected GOP politics."
Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann wrote, "OK, out. Get Clarence Thomas the f*** out of here. The Supremely Corrupt Court. GET CLARENCE THE F*** OUT OF HERE."
Americans For Tax Fairness posted, "BREAKING: Harlan Crow and his family's average yearly political contributions went up 862% after Citizens United was decided in 2010. Who provided a deciding vote for that case? Justice Clarence Thomas, a 'family friend' they showered with luxury travel and gifts for 20+ years."
Author David Simon recalled Justice Abe Fortas' resignation from the Warren Court during the 1960s, tweeting, "The ghost of Abe Fortas is now walking the halls of the high court muttering obscenities. Clarence Thomas is the most corrupt Justice in American history and we are simply sitting on our hands and letting him devour the integrity of the U.S. Supreme Court."
Journalist Victoria Brownworth wrote, "If Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson had taken $150k in tuition fees from a billionaire like Clarence Thomas did from Harlan Crow, the GOP would be demanding her resignation. Clarence Thomas must resign."
Author Ann Crossley tweeted, "Clarence Thomas really is Harlan Crow's huckleberry isn't he? Justice Clarence Thomas is merely Harlan Crow's SCOTUS real estate. Harlan Crow owns Clarence Thomas."
@WhatAimeeWrites posted, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Thomas must resign."
Twitter user William M. Scott, @WilliamMScottIV, posted, "If this gift and the travel must be reported, and Thomas broke the law, and Crow knew his gifts were not being reported and broke the law, why can't you say Crow conspired with Thomas to break the law and defraud the United States?"
Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett noted, "24 hours after Ted Cruz claims there's a 'smear campaign' against Clarence Thomas — we find out billionaire Harlan Crow also paid for Thomas’s adopted son’s $75K/year private school tuition. Vacations, accommodations, home purchases, free tuition."
Empower Project Research Director Neil Stenhouse sarcastically wrote, "But if we publicly question Thomas' integrity, won't that disrupt the magical force field that keeps the court functioning as an impartial body serving the public?"
READ MORE: Top Senate Democrat: 'Clarence Thomas should be subpoenaed'
