SCOTUS Justices Clarence Thomas and Ketanji Brown Jackson Off the Hook in Ethics Probe

David Gardner
·1-min read
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas will not face further action in an ethics probe.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Ketanji Brown Jackson will not face further legal action over claims they flouted federal ethics laws.

The Judicial Conference will not refer allegations made against the judges to the Justice Department, reported The Hill.

The decision was revealed in letters sent to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) who demanded a probe into allegations that Thomas accepted free trips.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson will not face further action in ethics probe. / Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Atlantic
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson will not face further action in ethics probe. / Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Atlantic

The justice was at the center of an ethics row last year over allegations that he accepted gifts and luxury travel from GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow. Thomas insisted previous guidance didn’t require the handouts to be disclosed.

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“Justice Thomas has filed amended financial disclosure statements that address several issues identified in your letter,” wrote judicial conference secretary Robert Conrad.

Another letter was sent to the conservative group Center for Renewing America saying Jackson—President Biden’s only appointee to the nation’s highest court—would not be referred over allegations she didn’t disclose income from her husband’s medical malpractice consults.

“It’s a sad commentary that the media does not care about liberal justices not following the ethics disclosure rules and a think tank needs to file a complaint to get it covered and effect change,” Rachel Cauley, spokesperson for the Center for Renewing America, said in a statement to The Hill.

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