Supreme Court members take a new group photo at the Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC, on October 7, 2022, after being joined by Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
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J. Scott Applewhite/AP
WASHINGTON — Judge Clarence Thomas belatedly acknowledged on Friday that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow paid for more travel expenses, as several colleagues reported A six-figure fee was paid as part of the book deal.
Thomas, who has been criticized for years for failing to report luxury travel expenses paid for by Crowe and others, said in his annual financial disclosure that in 2019 Crowe paid for a one-night hotel room in Bali, Indonesia, and a California Accommodation and board at a private club in Sonoma County. He did not report any travel expenses paid for by anyone else last year.
What’s curious about the Indonesian reveal is what it leaves out: the rest of the trip. ProPublica reported last year that Thomas flew to Indonesia on Crowe’s private jet and then boarded his superyacht for an island tour, one of many trips Crowe took for Thomas and his wife, Genie, over the years.
Another judge, Ketanji Brown Jackson, has revealed eye-popping figures for a nearly $900,000 advance for her upcoming memoir, along with eye-catching gifts, Beyoncé herself Four complimentary Beyoncé concert tickets valued at $3,700.
Jackson is one of four Supreme Court justices who reported substantial income from book deals. Conservative Regnery Publishing Company reportedly paid $340,000 to Judge Brett Kavanaugh. According to Axios, the company has been sold and the book will be published by Hachette Book Group. Accusations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. The court confirmed on Friday that the judge is writing a legal memoir.
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Sonia Sotomayor reported royalties of $250,000 and nearly $90,000, respectively.
This year, the justices were paid $298,500 for their regular duties, except for Chief Justice John Roberts, who was paid $312,200.
The only judge who was unavailable to report Friday was Samuel Alito, who was granted an extension of up to 90 days, as he has been for years. The justice has also come under separate scrutiny for flags flying outside a home he owns. He said they were raised by his wife.
Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, signed a book deal shortly after taking office in 2022.
The total value of her book deal has not been publicly disclosed, but is expected to match or exceed the more than $3 million Sotomayor paid for her memoir, “My Beloved World.”
Of the current justices, only Roberts, Alito and Justice Elena Kagan have yet to secure a book deal. Thomas received a staggering $1.5 million advance for his 2007 book, My Grandfather’s Son. Judge Amy Coney Barrett reported receiving $425,000 in 2022 for a yet-to-be-released book she reportedly signed shortly after joining the court in 2020 part of a $2 million deal.
The revelations paint only a partial picture of judges’ finances, because they are not required to disclose the value of their homes or, for those who are married, their spouse’s salary.
The justices adopted an ethics code in November but lack the means to enforce it. The Code treats travel, food and accommodation as expenses, not gifts, and their monetary value must be reported. The judge is not required to estimate the costs.
In March, the federal judiciary began requiring judges to disclose travel-related gifts and their value rather than reporting such gifts as reimbursements. The judges said they generally followed the same rules, but Thomas did not reveal the cost of the Bali hotel.
Some Democratic lawmakers are continuing to push legislation that would require courts to adopt a binding code of conduct and provide for investigations into alleged violations. But prospects for such legislation are considered slim in a deeply divided Congress.
Only two judges reportedly received gifts last year. Thomas said Terrence Giroux and his wife gave him two photo albums worth $2,000. Giroux is executive director emeritus of the Horatio Alger Society.
Jackson received $12,500 worth of artwork for the Supreme Court office. There are also Beyoncé tickets, worth more than $900 each. Beyoncé performed two concerts in the Washington area in August 2023, but Jackson’s disclosure did not specify when or where the tickets were purchased.
“Judge Jackson fell madly in love with Beyoncé’s music,” Supreme Court spokesperson Patricia McCabe said, citing Beyoncé’s songs. “Who isn’t?”
