Clarence Thomas's Financial Ties Exposed: Cozying Up to GOP Megadonors and Accepting Gifts from Billionaires

Justice Clarence Thomas, facing financial difficulties, once hinted at leaving the Supreme Court if lawmakers didn't raise justices' salaries, according to ProPublica. Thomas, who was accumulating debt, later developed questionable relationships with wealthy conservative donors. Documents obtained by ProPublica reveal that Thomas discussed raising the court's ban on justices giving paid speeches and sought a bill to delink Supreme Court justices' pay from other judges, Congress, and the Cabinet. While these efforts didn't materialize, Thomas continued to pursue financial benefits from wealthy benefactors, including billionaire Harlan Crow and the Koch brothers, raising concerns about potential impropriety. The Supreme Court adopted an independent code of ethics in response to public pressure over Thomas' financial dealings.