Litigation

Justice Thomas Revises Disclosure Reports

By Peter Hardin

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has revised his financial disclosure statements for  recent years that did not include his wife’s employment, according to letters released by the court on Monday.

The letters showed that Virginia “Ginny” Thomas worked for Hillsdale College in Michigan, for the Heritage Foundation and for the GOP House leadership, according to an Associated Press article.

Last week, Common Cause alleged that  Justice  Thomas had failed to disclose his wife’s income from the Heritage Foundation for a period of at least five years.

Virginia “Ginny” Thomas received $686,589 from the conservative organization between 2003 and 2007, Common cause found in reviewing the foundation’s Internal Revenue Service records,  a Los Angeles Times article reported.

Justice Thomas blamed the error on misunderstanding the filing instructions, the AP article said. It said the report asks for the source of money earned by a spouse, not the amount.

Common Cause President Bob Edgar said today, “It is hard to see how he could have misunderstood the simple directions of a federal disclosure form. We find his excuse is implausible.” He also said the group was puzzled why Mrs. Thomas’ most recent employer, Liberty Central, was omitted.

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 24, 2011 (boomark / email).