Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/07/11/yacht-trips-and-helicopter-rides-in-russia-more-gifts-clarence-thomas-failed-to-disclose.html
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Jesus H Christ. The guy basically took a secret, all expenses paid trip to have a visit with Putin or his cronies?
Eventually it’s going to turn out that the reason Russia can barely fund its war is because of the amount of money it has spent corrupting the GOP, the Supreme Court, and other, as yet unknown, American institutions.
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We should assume that Clarence Thomas would refuse to recuse himself from a trial on appeal finding Clarence Thomas did illegal things? (“There remains no obvious necessary conflict of interest over someone ruling on the issue of themselves”)
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This reminds me of a scene from the documentary Operation Odessa (in which a Columbian drug cartel attempted to purchase a submarine from the crumbling and cash-strapped former USSR) where the cartel guys were meeting with some Russian officials and touring some facilities. On a lark one of the cartel folks reached out to see how much it would cost to get transported around in military helicopters during their visit. The apologetic answer from the government official was “I checked into it, and I’m so sorry but I think it will be too expensive for you. It would cost $500.” To which the cartel guy exclaimed “Great! Let’s get 10 of them!”
I wish that Thomas were as ethical as the cartel folks shown in that film…
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There is a column labeled “Year” in the chart, but are we sure it is not incorrectly labeled? Maybe it should be “Number of Occurrences”?
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and every time I say anything about Russians political interference folks on the right act like I’m espousing flat earth conspiracies.
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I love how Thomas uses the notion of “dearest friends” to try to justify the corruption, as if the chain of causality between the gifts and the dear friendship wasn’t transparently in the opposite direction from the one claimed.
To put it more simply: if someone gave me all those gifts I’d probably consider them a dear friend, too.
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I don’t think he had any direct meetings with Putin (that would make international headlines), but I’m sure the FSB kept close tabs on him during his visit. Kompromat anyone?
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Why? You don’t think Putin could keep that quiet? It’s not the Moscow Ritz Carlton we’re talking about.
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It was not all that long ago that a story like this would absolutely end a public figure. And here we are, it’s just another day. I know, I know, IOKIYAR, but still…Normalizing shit like this will be the end of our democracy! This is not,and cannot be, normal!
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This guy has never stopped being an embarrassment from his Coke can days.
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I need different friends…
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If someone gave me all of those gifts, I think I would just become suspicious of their motives. Not sure what that says about me…
Then again, maybe some people just can’t tell when they are being treated like a favorite pet.
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Clarence needs to hang out with a better class of horrible people.
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No wonder SCOTUS legalized bribery a month ago.
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Some people don’t seem to mind being someone else’s pet, if they are regularly petted.
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Have we ruled out the possibility that Clarence Thomas is just this really adorable guy, so charismatic that his billionaire besties just can’t help giving him one huge gift after another, not expecting anything at all in return? Maybe they’re just that generous, and he’s just that lovable.
He probably didn’t declare the gifts because he didn’t want to make the other justices feel bad. I mean, no one’s giving them yacht rides and helicopter trips. [1]
[1] That we know of. [2]
[2] Yet.
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i laugh at the thought of big ol’ cuddly Clare Bear being just so damn lovable!
a big, fun guy you just want to share a coca-cola with.
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