Breaking news from The New York Times...Read the entire article here.
I'll give you my take in simple form.
Common Cause was told that Justice Thomas had made a "brief drop-by" at the Koch event in Palm Springs, CA in January 2008 and had given a talk. (The event is a retreat for wealthy conservatives.)
Thomas, in his financial disclosure for the year, lists reimbursments for four days of "transportation, meals and accommodation." (ah yes, from the Koch boys)
Common Cause is asking the court to clarify...did Justice Thomas spend four days at the event or was he there briefly.
“I don’t think the explanation they’ve given is credible,” Mr. Pearson said in an interview. He said that if Justice Thomas’s visit was a “four-day, all-expenses paid trip in sunny Palm Springs,” it should have been reported as a gift under federal law.
Common Cause maintains that Justice Thomas should have disqualified himself from last year’s landmark campaign finance ruling in the Citizens United case, partly because of his ties to the Koch brothers.
Hats off to Common Cause for continuing to fight the awful Citizens United decision!
Heck yeah, four days in Palm Springs sounds pretty good to me! And all I have to do is drop in? Can you spell V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N?