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Clarence Thomas Should Come Clean
Date: Friday, October 07, 2011, 3:57 am
By: Michael H.Cottman, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas may have broken the law, he could be a sloppy money manager, and he may need to be removed from the bench.
But first things first: Thomas should be investigated by a federal ethics panel.
Here’s why: Democrats have called for a federal investigation because Thomas failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars on annual financial disclosure forms.
Twenty House Democrats, led by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), sent a letter to the Judicial Conference of the United States requesting that the conference refer the matter to the Department of Justice.
The letter says that during Thomas’ 20-year tenure on the Supreme Court, he has consistently checked a box titled "none" on his annual financial disclosure forms, suggesting that his wife had received no income. But Democrats say that is erroneous. In fact, the letter explains, Thomas’ wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, earned nearly $700,000 from the Heritage Foundation from 2003 to 2007.
"It is reasonable, in every sense of the word, to believe that a member of the highest court in the land should know how to properly disclose almost $700,000 worth of income," Slaughter said in a statement. "To not be able to do so is suspicious, and according to law, requires further investigation. To accept Justice Thomas’s explanation without doing the required due diligence would be irresponsible."
It’s ridiculous for anyone to believe that Thomas may not have known how to fill out the forms. So there are two possible scenarios: Thomas is either stupid or he intentionally withheld personal earnings.
And there’s more: The letter by the Democrats quotes a story from The New York Times that claims Thomas may have used a private yacht and airplane owned by real estate magnate Harlan Crowe and failed to disclose the travel as a gift or travel reimbursement.
The Times reported that Crowe and Thomas met in the mid-1990s, a few years after Justice Thomas joined the court.
“Since then, Mr. Crow has done many favors for the justice and his wife, Virginia, helping finance a Savannah library project dedicated to Justice
Thomas, presenting him with a Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass and reportedly providing $500,000 for Ms. Thomas to start a Tea Party-related group,” The Times reported. “They have also spent time together at gatherings of prominent Republicans and businesspeople at Mr. Crow’s Adirondacks estate and his camp in East Texas.”
This is a disturbing ethical connection no matter how you slice it.
"The Attorney General would be the appropriate person to investigate the issue of non-disclosure, and that is why my colleagues and I are making this request today," Slaughter said. "I cannot determine guilt or innocence, but I can request that the government do our due diligence in investigating a situation that strikes me, and many other members of Congress, as suspicious."
Thomas and his wife should be investigated because they have had a pattern of questionable behavior. More than 20 years ago during his confirmation hearings, former colleague Anita Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment.
And last year, Virginia Thomas left a voice mail message for Hill in what seemed like a clumsy attempt to get Hill to apologize for her accusations against Thomas.
“Good morning Anita Hill, it’s Ginni Thomas,” it said. “I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband.”
Thomas went on: “So give it some thought. And certainly pray about this and hope that one day you will help us understand why you did what you did. OK, have a good day.”
It’s unclear what prompted Virginia Thomas to call Hill. It was strange at best – and dysfunctional at worst.
The Thomases, no doubt, have plenty of personal issues. But the serious issue of financial impropriety is a matter that calls for an immediate investigation to uncover all of the facts. No one, not even a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Supreme Court, is above the law.
Clarence Thomas – and his wife – should come clean.
Date: Friday, October 07, 2011, 3:57 am
By: Michael H.Cottman, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas may have broken the law, he could be a sloppy money manager, and he may need to be removed from the bench.
But first things first: Thomas should be investigated by a federal ethics panel.
Here’s why: Democrats have called for a federal investigation because Thomas failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars on annual financial disclosure forms.
Twenty House Democrats, led by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), sent a letter to the Judicial Conference of the United States requesting that the conference refer the matter to the Department of Justice.
The letter says that during Thomas’ 20-year tenure on the Supreme Court, he has consistently checked a box titled "none" on his annual financial disclosure forms, suggesting that his wife had received no income. But Democrats say that is erroneous. In fact, the letter explains, Thomas’ wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, earned nearly $700,000 from the Heritage Foundation from 2003 to 2007.
"It is reasonable, in every sense of the word, to believe that a member of the highest court in the land should know how to properly disclose almost $700,000 worth of income," Slaughter said in a statement. "To not be able to do so is suspicious, and according to law, requires further investigation. To accept Justice Thomas’s explanation without doing the required due diligence would be irresponsible."
It’s ridiculous for anyone to believe that Thomas may not have known how to fill out the forms. So there are two possible scenarios: Thomas is either stupid or he intentionally withheld personal earnings.
And there’s more: The letter by the Democrats quotes a story from The New York Times that claims Thomas may have used a private yacht and airplane owned by real estate magnate Harlan Crowe and failed to disclose the travel as a gift or travel reimbursement.
The Times reported that Crowe and Thomas met in the mid-1990s, a few years after Justice Thomas joined the court.
“Since then, Mr. Crow has done many favors for the justice and his wife, Virginia, helping finance a Savannah library project dedicated to Justice
Thomas, presenting him with a Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass and reportedly providing $500,000 for Ms. Thomas to start a Tea Party-related group,” The Times reported. “They have also spent time together at gatherings of prominent Republicans and businesspeople at Mr. Crow’s Adirondacks estate and his camp in East Texas.”
This is a disturbing ethical connection no matter how you slice it.
"The Attorney General would be the appropriate person to investigate the issue of non-disclosure, and that is why my colleagues and I are making this request today," Slaughter said. "I cannot determine guilt or innocence, but I can request that the government do our due diligence in investigating a situation that strikes me, and many other members of Congress, as suspicious."
Thomas and his wife should be investigated because they have had a pattern of questionable behavior. More than 20 years ago during his confirmation hearings, former colleague Anita Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment.
And last year, Virginia Thomas left a voice mail message for Hill in what seemed like a clumsy attempt to get Hill to apologize for her accusations against Thomas.
“Good morning Anita Hill, it’s Ginni Thomas,” it said. “I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband.”
Thomas went on: “So give it some thought. And certainly pray about this and hope that one day you will help us understand why you did what you did. OK, have a good day.”
It’s unclear what prompted Virginia Thomas to call Hill. It was strange at best – and dysfunctional at worst.
The Thomases, no doubt, have plenty of personal issues. But the serious issue of financial impropriety is a matter that calls for an immediate investigation to uncover all of the facts. No one, not even a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Supreme Court, is above the law.
Clarence Thomas – and his wife – should come clean.