Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says he wasn't required to report trips with GOP donor

WASHINGTON – Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas pushed back Friday against criticism after a report revealed he had secretly accepted lavish trips funded by a GOP donor over the past two decades but had failed to report them, a possible violation of federal law.

In a statement, Thomas acknowledged that he and his wife, Ginni Thomas, had joined billionaire GOP megadonor Harlan Crow and his wife Kathy on a number of “family trips” during the more than a quarter century they have known them. He described the couple as “among our dearest friends.”

“Early in my tenure at the court, I sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary, and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the court, was not reportable,” Thomas said.

“I have endeavored to follow that counsel throughout my tenure, and have always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines,” he said.

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The guidelines are now being changed as the committee of the Judicial Conference responsible for financial disclosure for the entire federal judiciary just this past month announced new guidance, Thomas said.

“It is, of course, my intent to follow this guidance in the future,” he said.

Thomas’ statement came one day after ProPublica reported he has taken a series of lavish trips funded Crow over the past two decades without disclosing them, a possible violation of federal law.

Thomas has accepted lavish gifts from the billionaire Dallas businessman nearly every year, which had included vacations on Crow’s superyacht and trips on the billionaire’s Bombardier Global 5000 jet as well as a week each summer at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondacks, ProPublica reported, citing flight records, internal documents and interviews with Crow’s employees.

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The investigation comes as the nation's high court fends off requests for a code of ethics, which would likely address similar instances.

The disclosures are the latest ethics controversy to dog Thomas, who also has faced tough questions about incomplete financial disclosure forms and appearances at other political gatherings of wealthy conservative donors and influencers.

Crow said in a statement that he and his wife’s “hospitality” to Thomas and his wife “is no different from the hospitality we have extended to our many other dear friends.”

Advocates for more transparency and accountability on the court said the disclosures once again raise serious questions about the connections between conservative groups with access to Thomas and whether they are improperly influencing the court.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clarence Thomas defends lavish 'family trips' funded by GOP donor