Current:Home > NewsMost of Justice Thomas’ $267,000 loan for an RV seems to have been forgiven, Senate Democrats say -Wealth Evolution Experts
Most of Justice Thomas’ $267,000 loan for an RV seems to have been forgiven, Senate Democrats say
View
Date:2025-04-25 23:30:17
WASHINGTON (AP) — All or most of a $267,000 loan obtained by Supreme CourtJustice Clarence Thomas to buy a high-end motorcoach appears to have been forgiven, raising tax and ethics questions, according to a new report by Senate Democrats.
Anthony “Tony” Welters, a longtime friend of Thomas who made the loan in 1999, forgave the debt after nine years of what he called interest-only payments, says the report, which was released Wednesday by Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee.
The loan’s existence was first reported during the summer by the New York Times. Committee Democrats undertook their inquiry following the Times’ story.
Thomas, 75, has been at the center of a heightened focus on ethics at the Supreme Court over his undisclosed travel and other ties with wealthy conservative supporters. The court, the only part of the federal judiciary with a formal code of conduct, is debating whether to adopt an ethics code and, in recent months, three justices have voiced their support for such a move.
Thomas borrowed the money from Welters, a healthcare executive, to buy a 40-foot refitted tour bus in which he tours the country with his wife, Ginni. Thomas has talked about staying in Walmart parking lots and RV parks, which are “what the neighborhoods used to be like.”
At the time of the loan, Thomas said in a handwritten note on his Supreme Court letterhead that agreements to pay interest of 7.5% a year and repay the money in five years, the report says. In 2004, the time to repay the loan was extended until 2014.
Documents voluntarily provided by Welters to the committee show that he forgave the loan in 2008, the report says. Welters gave the committee a copy of just one payment of $20,042 that Thomas made, in 2000.
“Welters forgave the balance of the loan to Thomas in recognition of the payments made by Thomas which Welters characterized as interest only payments that exceeded the amount of the original loan,” the report says. Nine years of interest-only payments would total roughly $180,000, considerably less than the loan amount. Welters did not explain the discrepancy.
Forgiven or canceled debt counts as income for tax purposes, the report says. In addition, Thomas has never included forgiven debt in his annual financial disclosures.
“Justice Thomas should inform the committee exactly how much debt was forgiven and whether he properly reported the loan forgiveness on his tax returns and paid all taxes owed,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the committee chairman, said in a statement.
There was no immediate response from Thomas to a request made through a court spokeswoman.
A series of reports from the investigative news site ProPublica revealed that Thomas has for years accepted, but not disclosed, luxury trips and other hospitality from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.
Crow also purchased the house in Georgia where Thomas’s mother continues to live and paid for two years of private school tuition for a child raised by the Thomases.
Earlier this year, Thomas did report three private trips he took at Crow’s expense in 2022, after the federal judiciary changed its guidelines for reporting travel. He did not report travel from earlier years.
ProPublica reported that Justice Samuel Alito also failed to disclose a private trip to Alaska he took in 2008 that was paid for by two wealthy Republican donors, one of whom repeatedly had interests before the court.
The Associated Press also reported in July that Justice Sonia Sotomayor, aided by her staff, has advanced sales of her books through college visits over the past decade.
veryGood! (2137)
Related
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- 2024 CMA Awards: Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Album Shut Out of Nominations
- ‘Shogun’ wins 11 Emmys with more chances to come at Creative Arts Emmy Awards
- Missing California woman found alive after 12 days in the wilderness
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- Tom Brady's broadcast debut draws mixed reviews. Here's reactions from NFL fans
- Here's every Super Bowl halftime performer by year as Kendrick Lamar is tapped for 2025
- More Big Lots store locations closing as company files for bankruptcy and new owner takes over
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- 'Perfect Couple' stars Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber talk shocking finale
Ranking
- Trump's 'stop
- Bruce Springsteen talks 'Road Diary' and being a band boss: 'You're not alone'
- Stellantis recalls over 1.2M Ram 1500 pickup trucks in the US
- Amy Adams Makes Rare Comments About 14-Year-Old Daughter Aviana
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Officer put on leave in incident with Tyreek Hill, who says he's unsure why he was detained
- Ex-employees of Titanic submersible’s owner to testify before Coast Guard panel
- Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run in OT lifts Lions to 26-20 win over Rams
Recommendation
'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
Colorado rattlesnake 'mega-den' webcam shows scores of baby snakes born in recent weeks
The Mormon church’s president, already the oldest in the faith’s history, is turning 100
Trial opening for former Houston officer charged with murder after deadly raid
Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
Why Amy Adams Invites Criticism for Nightb--ch Movie
I'm a retired Kansas grocer. Big-box dollar stores moved into town and killed my business.
The Bachelorette’s Jenn Tran Reunites With Jonathon Johnson After Devin Strader Breakup