The Greed of Hollow Men — A Letter from Marty on the True Costs of Clarence Thomas

As disgraced jurist Clarence Thomas discloses gifts, retired IRS criminal investigator Martin Sheil has a few things to say about choosing one’s friends wisely

Due to ongoing malinformation campaigns targeting the people I love most in this world, when concerned people try to tell me things about my friends — I shrug and say, “I am extremely loyal to imperfect people, for I too am imperfect.” The point is, we are rowing in the same pro-democracy direction, are we not?

I am always big on questioning the motives of those who express ‘concern’ about the people working hardest to expose the fascists in uniforms, dark suits, and robes.

This work takes tremendous guts.

‘Army of Shadows’

I went to church last night. Saw Jean-Pierre Melville’s Army of Shadows on the big screen — a restored 35 mm print — at the New Bev. If you want to know about the guts and bravery it takes to fight fascists, see how it was done the first time around.

When Lino Ventura makes mince meat of a Nazi, I thought, ‘Bravo. That’s how it’s done.’ You don’t play nice with killers.

My preamble is born out of frustration that big fat liars are sitting on our highest court — extremist rightwing radicals who lied to all our faces, and last time I checked, they’re all still sitting there — their corrupt asses hanging out for all to see — making decisions that benefit their fossil fuel funders and not empathetic humans.

So when news broke today that disgraced jurist Clarence Thomas disclosed trips that were paid for by his billionaire fren Harlan Crow in his annual financial disclosure report, do recall that this disclosure occurred only after ProPublica exposed the lavish gifting Thomas has been enjoying for three decades:

• At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas;

• 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter;

• a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events, typically perched in the skybox;

• two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic coast…

You may recall in Marty’s recent op-ed on Federalist Society/CNP honcho Leonard Leo, that Thomas’ wife Ginni also benefited handsomely from the Thomas’ extremist friends.

So here is what NBC reported today:

Amid a renewed focus on Supreme Court ethics, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas disclosed trips that were paid for by his billionaire friend Harlan Crow, in his annual financial disclosure report Thursday.

Among his activities in 2022 that he reported on, Thomas noted that Crow paid for his travel to a conservative conference in Dallas in May last year. Thomas spoke at the event, which was held at a facility owned by Crow’s real estate company. Crow also provided a return flight from Dallas in February following an ice storm, Thomas reported.

Thomas also said Crow paid for a trip to the Adirondacks in New York state in July 2022.

In notes attached to the report, Thomas said he flew on a private jet in the May 2022 trip because of increased security concerns following the leak that month of a draft opinion showing the court was poised to overturn the abortion rights landmark Roe v. Wade…

Ah yes, great opportunity to stick in some ‘victimhood’ from a jurist who took health rights away from half the population.

The report continues:

Thomas said the gifts from Crow constituted “personal hospitality,” meaning he did not have to disclose them under the previous rules…

Thomas also addressed Crow's purchase of real estate owned by the justice's family in Savannah, Georgia, also first revealed by ProPublica. The news report said that Thomas' mother lived in one of the houses in question.

Must be nice.

I sent retired IRS criminal investigator Martin Sheil the news about the breaker, and he sent me the following letter, verbatim:

Heidi.

It seems old Clarence is finally starting to disclose some of the luxury gifts and travel he has frequently received from rich benefactors over the many years he has been sitting atop the Justice totem pole as a SCOTUS Jedi.

So sad he had to be shamed into it.

What was he hiding all these years and why?

Is he embarrassed that he spends so much time with rich corporate benefactors on their yachts and corporate jets that he did not bother reporting the many luxuries they bestowed upon him over the years?

Or is he now so desperate that his wannabe rich guy lifestyle has been found out that he now has to make up disingenuous rationalizations like needing a corporate jet for security?

What? The Rolls Royce of Recreational Vehicles gifted you wasn't safe enough?

Did the Dodd decision put the fear of the Great Unwashed hanging out at the Walmart parking lots cause you to retreat to the protective corporate jets of rich real estate guys with golden passports to whisk you offshore to favorite sites well known to the elite yachting circles you seem to prefer?

Hey Clarence - here is an old Japanese proverb for you to ponder - When the character of a man is not clear to you look at his friends...it is rightly said that a man is known by the companions he keeps!

Now that may not matter to you considering you probably think hanging out on yachts with corporate executives and Federalist Society types is righteous but think about how the rest of the world likely perceives all the luxuries your wealthy friends bestow upon you. 

Think anyone believes the 1% is grooming you Clarence?

Do you care?

Charles Darwin once said that "a man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth." Think about that Clarence. Ask yourself if any of these American oligarchs would care to hang with you if you weren't a standing member of SCOTUS.

And while you are thinking about that and if you have any sense of self awareness left think about your oath - the one all Federal judges get before they start their life's tenure on the bench…

"I will administer justice without respect to persons and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me."

The fact that you had to spend decades hiding the gifts you received from the rich puts your adherence to your oath in question Clarence.

You have a duty to disclose ALL your gifts from the rich Clarence.

Have you really in fact, faithfully and impartially discharged and performed that duty?

I think not!

Oscar Wilde once said that one has a right to judge a man by the effect he has over his friends. What effect have you had on your rich corporate donor friends Clarence?

Can you really look at yourself in the mirror of your recreational vehicle and say you have had any effect? Can you really say they are your friends?

We know what they are Clarence, and we know what you are.

The only question is ... price!

Marty

I often think of the Hollow Men that my friend Hardeep Matharu — the editor of Byline Times — reports on. Hollowed out by greed, compromise, ego, and power.

I think of the decaying men Joe Connolly writes about in his Charlie Parker detective series — the grey men in the shadows who always seem to be present when cruelty occurs, they are hoarders of men’s souls.

A certain type of evil has infected America — hollow men, hollowed out by greed, making decisions that benefit no one with empathy.

All of us are paying the price for the greed of hollow men.

****

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