Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events

Link

On Jan. 25, 2018, dozens of private jets descended on Palm Springs International Airport. Some of the richest people in the country were arriving for the annual winter donor summit of the Koch network, the political organization founded by libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch. A long weekend of strategizing, relaxation in the California sun and high-dollar fundraising lay ahead.

Just after 6 p.m., a Gulfstream G200 jet touched down on the tarmac. One of the Koch network’s most powerful allies was on board: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

During the summit, the justice went to a private dinner for the network’s donors. Thomas has attended Koch donor events at least twice over the years, according to interviews with three former network employees and one major donor. The justice was brought in to speak, staffers said, in the hopes that such access would encourage donors to continue giving.

That puts Thomas in the extraordinary position of having served as a fundraising draw for a network that has brought cases before the Supreme Court, including one of the most closely watched of the upcoming term.

It's a long article, it will take you a while to read it all. It's about 20 web pages long, or probably about 10 regular pages of text.

Why is this an issue?

For one, Thomas never reported these trips. Two, these were fund raisers and he helped secret donors raise funds when those very same organizers had cases before him that he was making decisions on. Various federal laws were potentially violated here and there may even be cause for investigation.

I'm not even going to focus on the fact that he was in league with the Koch brothers -- that fades in comparison with the federal statues he violated involving himself with fundraising as a Supreme Court justice.

Thomas’ involvement in the events is part of a yearslong, personal relationship with the Koch brothers that has remained almost entirely out of public view. It developed over years of trips to the Bohemian Grove, a secretive all-men’s retreat in Northern California. Thomas has been a regular at the Grove for two decades, where he stayed in a small camp with real estate billionaire Harlan Crow and the Kochs, according to records and people who’ve spent time with him there.

Deep State, right smack in the middle of the Supreme Court.

a reply to: Mahogany

OMG!!!

He went to dinner!

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: Mahogany

OMG!!!

He went to dinner!

Look, you can support the Bohemian Grove secret meetings and the Deep State all you want, but this is not good for the American people.

A Supreme Court justice going to 20 years of Bohemian Grove meetings and never disclosing it, while he makes secret deals no one has ever known about is a big deal.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: Mahogany

OMG!!!

He went to dinner!

Token?

a reply to: Mahogany

This is too big. That's why it will be swept under the rug, like the coc aine delivery to the White House.

a reply to: Mahogany

Thomas has been on the court a long time. Longer than Alito and longer than Roberts. I'm betting, if they look around, they'll find that all previous justices were up to the same kind of thing.

We don't need to single Thomas out. What we need is reform, in the way of some formal rules and policies for SCOTUS judges to follow. And, if you ask me, we need to expand the court to have at least 3 SCOTUS justices for each Circuit Court.

www.opensecrets.org...

Supreme Court justices continue to take trips across the globe on the dime of private individuals and other entities, raising questions about whether those sponsoring the trips could have influence over those serving on the high court.

The Supreme Court’s nine justices disclosed taking a combined 64 trips in 2018 in which various aspects such as transportation, food and lodging were reimbursed by others, according to annual financial disclosures released Thursday by the Office of Government Ethics.

Since 2004, when OpenSecrets first began tracking Supreme Court financial disclosure data, justices have disclosed taking 1,306 trips reimbursed by others.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg disclosed taking more trips than any other justice in 2018, totaling 14. She visited Tel Aviv, Israel where she was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Genesis Prize Foundation. Shortly following the award ceremony, she disclosed being provided transportation, food and lodging as a tourist and guest of billionaire Israeli businessman Morris Kahn.

It may simply be a "thing" they do. Is he being accused of doing wrong things or is there proof? Because if so, there may be a lot of SC Justices in trouble, which quite frankly, no one seems to be having an issue with. Why now all of a sudden does seem a bit suspicious.

a reply to: StoutBroux

In 2018 the Koch Network had a case in front of the Supreme Court and Thomas did not recuse himself despite his ties to the group. There's also another Koch Network currently in front of the court and Thomas has yet to recuse himself.

a reply to: Threadbare
What are his "ties" other than knowing them, supporting their charity, and hanging out a handful of times.

You need to brush up on conflict of interest. There generally isn't any if you have no business or family with business ties or you are on a board or have some notable stake in something.

I get you are concerned, but the standard is the way it is so people can live normal luves. Otherwise RGB would have had to recuse herself for being a gay marriage advocate.

You get to have personal feelings and support causes while still ruling on cases related. That is not what conflict of interest is.

I'm not a fan of sneaky clubs either, but if every other case was short justices because of "knowing" someone in the case, you wouldn't have a proper court.

Now we're worried about corrupt and compromised government officials (eyeroll)

a reply to: Mahogany

The focus is on Clarence because he is defending the 2A, STAUNCHLY.

THAT'S IT.

The Bruen decision by Thomas took away their "interest balancing" which allowed them to use the will of the mob to decide cases concerning the 2A.

HUGE BLOW.

Why are the rest of the Justices not being scrutinized for whatever reason? Why is there a target on Justice Thomas? Believe me, if they could get away with it, they WOULD make it racial somehow, so they had to dig to get this nonsense and warp it per their SOP.

Scrutinize them all or this "checks and balances" crusade is nothing more than another political witch hunt.

Which it is anyway, but still.

Here's EXACTLY why they want Thomas out: California Magazine Ban Just Overturned!

All their BS is being systematically dismantled by Thomas's decision in Bruen.

That's why they are currently AT WAR with the second amendment and passing blatantly unconstitutional legislation that thumbs it's nose to the Bruen decision. Anything that can be tried is being tried.

Even going as far as trying to remove a SC justice, apparently.

That's some next level desperation right there. Just goes to show just how IMPORTANT the 2A really is for those that need a refresher.

a reply to: Sookiechacha

And, if you ask me, we need to expand the court

I hope you get your MSM treat.

You certainly deserve it.

originally posted by: Mahogany

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: Mahogany

OMG!!!

He went to dinner!

A Supreme Court justice going to 20 years of Bohemian Grove meetings and never disclosing it, while he makes secret deals no one has ever known about is a big deal.

So why now??? Two decades have passed and it's suddenly NOW a problem??

Puhhhhhhlease..🙄

thomas should be comended for not using this influence to throw a supreme court case

originally posted by: Mahogany
[...]
Link

On Jan. 25, 2018, dozens of private jets descended on Palm Springs International Airport. Some of the richest people in the country were arriving for the annual winter donor summit of the Koch network, the political organization founded by libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch. A long weekend of strategizing, relaxation in the California sun and high-dollar fundraising lay ahead.

Just after 6 p.m., a Gulfstream G200 jet touched down on the tarmac. One of the Koch network’s most powerful allies was on board: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

During the summit, the justice went to a private dinner for the network’s donors. Thomas has attended Koch donor events at least twice over the years, according to interviews with three former network employees and one major donor. The justice was brought in to speak, staffers said, in the hopes that such access would encourage donors to continue giving.

That puts Thomas in the extraordinary position of having served as a fundraising draw for a network that has brought cases before the Supreme Court, including one of the most closely watched of the upcoming term.

It's a long article, it will take you a while to read it all. It's about 20 web pages long, or probably about 10 regular pages of text.[...]

A - did he discuss any up coming cases with anyone at these events?

B - did he personally endorse the raising of funds?

No he didn’t. Move along. Just another Clarence Thomas hit piece with 20 pages of BS

originally posted by: Threadbare
a reply to: StoutBroux

In 2018 the Koch Network had a case in front of the Supreme Court and Thomas did not recuse himself despite his ties to the group. There's also another Koch Network currently in front of the court and Thomas has yet to recuse himself.

what decisions did thomas make that deliberately gave koch an illegal advantage ?