1.23.2011

What Else Haven't They Told Us?

Justice Thomas fails to disclose spouse’s income at Heritage Foundation and Liberty Central

Clarence and Ginny, living in perfect harmony


CommonDreams reports:

WASHINGTON - January 21 - Today’s acknowledgement by Supreme Court Justices Scalia and Thomas that they attended functions sponsored by Koch Industries in 2007 and 2008 is helpful, but does not resolve questions about their possible conflicts of interest in the Citizens United case. In addition, Common Cause research around this issue has revealed a further problem involving Justice Thomas – a repeated failure to disclose his wife’s income in his annual financial disclosure forms.

“Common Cause is concerned about omissions in Justice Thomas’s annual financial disclosures,” said Common Cause President Bob Edgar. “While researching potential conflicts of interest in Citizens United, we discovered apparent gaps over seven years in Justice Thomas’s disclosures of his wife’s earnings.”

According to records filed with the IRS, Virginia “Ginny” Thomas was paid $686,589 by the Heritage Foundation, a think tank, for her work there from 2003-07. Published reports indicate that Ms. Thomas also drew a salary from Liberty Central, a political education and action group she co-founded in 2009.

None of his wife’s earnings are disclosed on Justice Thomas’ annual financial disclosure forms, however. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires federal officials, including Supreme Court justices, to disclose their spouse’s income. On the appropriate section of his 2003 to 2009 disclosure forms, Justice Thomas checked the box for “none.” Click here to view a chart Common Cause compiled on Thomas’s financial disclosures forms reporting no spousal income. ...>more


Also at the TW: Three Reasons Why It's OK That Clarence Thomas' Wife Is A Teabagger