Summary

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--SUPERS--
:26 - :34
Brett Murphy
Reporter, ProPublica

:46 - :52
Manifold Productions, Inc.

1:48 - 1:59
Jeremy Fogel
Berkeley Judicial Institute

2:10 - 2:20
Justice Clarence Thomas
Supreme Court
C-SPAN/May 11, 2001

2:37 - 2:43
Brett Murphy
Reporter, ProPublica

--LEAD IN--
NEW REPORTING IS SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE AMOUNT OF LUXURY GIFTS AND PERKS ENJOYED BY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS.
IN AN ARTICLE RELEASED THURSDAY, PRO PUBLICA DETAILS A POSH LIFESTYLE OF TRAVEL AND V-I-P TREATMENT FAR BEYOND WHAT HIS SUPREME COURT SALARY COULD SUPPORT.. HEAVILY BANKROLLED BY MULTIPLE BILLIONAIRES.
WHILE SOME GIFTS WERE ALREADY REPORTED FROM SOME BENEFACTORS.. THE SCALE AND LARGESS OF THE GIFTS WAS NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
C-N-N'S TOM FOREMAN REPORTS.. THE INFORMATION ADDS NEW URGENCY TO QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICS WITHIN THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT.
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
THE MOST COMPLETE ACCOUNTING YET OF THE HIGH LIFE OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, CLARENCE THOMAS, SHOWS MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY KNOWN - MORE PRIVATE JETS, MORE FANCY VACATIONS, MORE SPORTING EVENTS, ...ALL GIFTS FROM MEGA-RICH BUSINESSMEN AND DOCUMENTED THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RECORDS, PLUS INTERVIEWS BY PRO PUBLICA.
Brett Murphy, Reporter, ProPublica: "Justice Thomas has been living a life of extreme luxury for 30 years, underwritten by at least four different ultra wealthy benefactors."
EARLIER REPORTS HAVE REVEALED LAVISH GIFTS TO THOMAS - INCLUDING A HOUSE FOR HIS MOTHER, AND THIS NINE-DAY VACATION IN INDONESIA - FROM CONSERVATIVE BILLIONAIRE HARLAN CROW...
Justice Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court: "I come from regular stock."
...WHO ALSO UNDERWROTE A FILM ABOUT THOMAS'S HUMBLE TASTES...
Justice Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court: "I prefer the RV parks..."
NOW, THE LIST OF BENEFACTORS INCLUDES THREE MORE NAMES ACCORDING TO PRO PUBLICA: DAVID SOKOL, WAYNE HUIZENGA, AND “TONY” NOVELLY.
THE REPORT SAYS THE FOUR MOGULS COLLECTIVELY TREATED THOMAS TO...
"THIRTY-EIGHT DESTINATION VACATIONS," INCLUDING A PREVIOUSLY UNREPORTED VOYAGE ON A YACHT AROUND THE BAHAMAS; "26 PRIVATE JET FLIGHTS," PLUS AN ADDITIONAL "EIGHT BY HELICOPTER"; "A DOZEN VIP PASSES" TO PROFESSIONAL AND COLLEGE SPORTING EVENTS..."TWO STAYS AT LUXURY RESORTS" IN FLORIDA AND JAMAICA; AND "ONE STANDING INVITATION TO AN UBER-EXCLUSIVE GOLF CLUB..."
THE DOLLAR VALUE "LIKELY IN THE MILLIONS" - LITTLE OF WHICH APPEARED IN REQUIRED FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES, ACCORDING TO PRO PUBLICA.
THOMAS HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID HE DIDN'T FEEL THE NEED TO DISCLOSE SOME GIFTS.
AND THAT WORRIES JEREMY FOGEL - AN EXPERT ON JUDICIAL ETHICS AND A FORMER JUDGE.
Jeremy Fogel, Berkeley Judicial Institute: "I simply couldn't have done this and even if the people involved didn't have interest before the court, it's...It's just the idea that you are receiving gifts of this magnitude."
ASSOCIATE JUSTICES MAKE ABOUT $285-THOUSAND A YEAR.
IN 2001, WHEN THEY MADE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND LESS, THOMAS SPOKE UP...
Justice Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court (C-SPAN/May 11, 2001): "The job is not worth doing for what they pay...It's not worth doing for the grief...But it is worth doing for the principle."
NOW, HE BRISTLES AT QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS PRINCIPLES.
HE CALLS CROW MERELY A FRIEND...CROW SAYS THEY NEVER TALK ABOUT THOMAS'S WORK...AND THE NEW REPORT FOUND NONE OF THESE WEALTHY PALS SEEMED TO HAVE HAD CASES BEFORE THE COURT.
STILL...
Brett Murphy, Reporter, ProPublica: "Each one of these new benefactors, just like Harlan Crow, came into his life after he was appointed to the Supreme Court. That's why it's so problematic from an ethics standpoint."
--TAG--
SUPPORTERS OF JUSTICE THOMAS ARE CALLING THIS LATEST REPORTING A SMEAR JOB.
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THE NAMED BILLIONAIRES BROKE ANY LAWS BY OFFERING GIFTS… AND DESPITE ETHICAL CONCERNS, IT'S UNCLEAR IF THOMAS TECHNICALLY DID ANYTHING WRONG BY ACCEPTING THEM.
BUT THE EARLIER REVELATIONS ABOUT HARLAN CROW'S GENEROSITY SPURRED AN OUTCRY FOR THE COURT TO COME UP WITH MUCH MORE STRICT AND TRANSPARENT RULES ABOUT GIFTS.
THIS LATEST REPORTING MAY ADD URGENCY TO THAT ARGUMENT.
-----END-----CNN.SCRIPT-----

--KEYWORD TAGS--
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE THOMAS GIFTS BILLIONAIRES ETHICS