Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has asked for more time to file annual financial disclosures following criticism that he failed to report luxury travel and real estate deals with a Texas billionaire and Republican donor. Alito also asked for an extension.
The Supreme Court is under increasing pressure from Democratic lawmakers and transparency advocates to strengthen disclosure rules and adopt ethics guidelines specific to the justices after news reports revealed Thomas’s undisclosed real estate deals and private jet travel, and raised questions about the recusal practices of both conservative and liberal justices.
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 have up to 90 additional days to submit his filing, which could include any amendments or updates related to his finances from past years.
Other justices did submit their annual financial disclosure reports listing earnings, assets, gifts and stock holdings on time. Those reports were posted online on Wednesday.
Disclosure rules were changed in March, shortly before the ProPublica article was published, to make it clear that trips on private jets and stays at privately owned resorts like one Crow owns in upstate New York would have to be disclosed.
Among the activities last year that Thomas could address in his report is a visit to a conservative conference in Dallas in May 2022. Thomas spoke at the event, which was held at a facility owned by Crow’s real estate company. ProPublica said in its April article that Crow’s private jet had flown from Washington to Dallas at the time of the event, suggesting Thomas may have traveled on it. As a result, ethics watchdogs will be looking closely to see whether Thomas reports the trip.
