ProPublica reports that Thomas was in debt, frustrated with his salary, and implying he’d resign from the Supreme Court if his financial situation didn’t change—just before Harlan Crow and other conservatives started lavishing him with expensive gifts and luxury vacations.
Before he began receiving expensive gifts and luxury vacations from Harlan Crow and other conservative benefactors, Clarence Thomas reportedly expressed significant concerns about his financial situation—even prompting concerns from a Republican lawmaker more than 20 years ago that he might resign from the Supreme Court if he could not boost his salary.
“One or more justices will leave soon” if justices aren’t given a raise, Thomas told then Republican Representative Cliff Stearns in 2000, as they flew home from a conservative conference at a Georgia resort, according to ProPublica.
this thing where we all pretend that they’re burying him under a pile of money out of the goodness of their hearts, he knows how they want him to rule, but it’s sheer coincidence that he rules in their favor 100% of the time is how rich people get eaten. at this point they’re fucking with us on purpose to show us what they can get away with, but we decide what they can get away with.
Yep, the last decade has shown they don’t need to be quiet about anything anymore. The gifts are so obvious but nobody with power will do anything to fix it.