US Supreme Court justices, judges face new rules for disclosing free trips

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

March 18, 2024 4:28 PM EDT


March 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal judges can no longer avoid disclosing the value of travel-related gifts they receive by classifying such free trips as "reimbursements" on their financial disclosure forms under new regulations now in effect.

The regulations, announced by the federal judiciary late on Friday, follow revelations that conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had not disclosed luxury trips paid for by a wealthy benefactor.

Following media reports on those trips, Thomas in August filed a delayed 2022 financial disclosure report listing private jet trips provided by Texas businessman Harlan Crow to or from Dallas for conferences in February and May of that year and to a property in upstate New York's Adirondack Mountains last July.

Thomas listed the flight to the Adirondacks by private plane as well as related lodging, food and entertainment as "reimbursements" and not as a "gift" from Crow whose value would need to be disclosed.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-justices-judges-face-new-rules-disclosing-free-trips-2024-03-18/

[Irish_Dem]

1. Who enforces the new regulations?

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Looks like this group is their oversight

https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/judicial-administration/administrative-oversight-and-accountability

and can refer to DOJ if needed.

[TheRickles]

5. Good to know. I thought that no one had oversight over the SC, and that's why they were getting away with so much.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Will the DOJ go after SC justices?

Will the SC justices abide by the new rules?

We shall see how this all works out.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. I'm sure if one of them

shot someone on 5th Avenue they would.

Usually with anything dealing with "discipline" in the federal government, there is an increasing escalation of meting that out - e.g., "verbal warning", "written warning", etc. I expect for the SCOTUS, Roberts would be the starting point for that.

[Irish_Dem]

9. I do not see the MAGA SC Justices allowing any infringement on their power.

They have life appointments. They feel untouchable.
Maybe they are.

As I say it will be interesting to watch this unfold.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. It'll be up to "the media" to do some investigative reporting

to uncover any subterfuge.

[Irish_Dem]

11. I'm sure the media will get right on it.

[AllaN01Bear]

12. wonder if they will follow the new rules?

[live love laugh]

2. Only travel related gifts? Sounds self serving. They'll just use the money other ways.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Thomas will continue to accept trips and not recuse himself

Disclosure or not, without consequences, the corruption continues.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Are there any penalties for violations?

[aggiesal]

13. Until they find a new loophole ...

As sure as I'm sitting here, they will not give up, not reporting their luxury vacation through some undisclosed loophole.

[crickets]

14. Why are they allowed to accept gifts at all?

There would be no question about breach of ethics if they would just, ya know, not accept any gifts.

[RobinA]

15. This Is What

I came to say. Why are Supreme Court justices accepting ANY gifts, let alone free trips? Your average Fed employee is VERY limited in what they can accept. Like, $20 value. Which is as it should be. I can't imagine how any gift to any judge, not just SC, is not the definition of the "appearance of impropriety.

[Emile]

16. So they give the person a dollar for a week long

trip on a private yacht and they don't have to report it.

[Happy Hoosier]

17. They can still accept bribes

They just have to be transparent about it.