A judicial policymaking body has recently rejected a request from Democratic lawmakers to refer conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for investigation regarding allegations he failed to disclose significant gifts and travel sponsored by a wealthy benefactor. This decision came from the U.S. Judicial Conference, which is the federal judiciary’s leading policymaking entity, and was announced on January 2, 2025.

The secretary of the Judicial Conference pointed to numerous amendments Thomas had made to his annual financial disclosure reports, which addressed concerns raised by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia. Their letters had called for a referral following a report by (The Guardian) that highlighted Thomas’s lack of reporting regarding luxury trips offered by Texas billionaire and Republican donor Harlan Crow.

The lawmakers' contention was that Thomas had willfully neglected to meet the requirements set by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. In response, Justice Thomas emphasized that he was advised that such "personal hospitality" did not require disclosure. He also pledged to correct any omissions starting with his 2022 report, submitted in August 2023.

The Judicial Conference also opted not to refer Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the DOJ despite a conservative group's request indicating she failed to disclose her husband's consulting income, a claim which has since been resolved with amendments to her reports.

U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad, who oversees the administrative aspects of the judiciary, remarked on the importance of updating financial disclosure requirements and clarified guidance regarding when the personal hospitality exemption applies. He noted that "we have no reason to believe he has done anything less” regarding Thomas's compliance with the new policies.

In their reasoning, the Conference cited "constitutional questions" about their ability to make such a referral, expressing a need for deeper analysis on the matter. Furthermore, the earlier request was deemed moot as Senator Whitehouse and another legislator approached Attorney General Merrick Garland directly, requesting the appointment of a special counsel for further investigation into these claims.

For further details, visit (Reuters).