Clarence Thomas's longtime friend and former advisor, Mark Paoletta, has fiercely criticized Fix the Court's recent report alleging the Supreme Court justice received substantial undisclosed gifts. Paoletta claims the report is riddled with "errors and deceptions" and part of a concerted effort to discredit Thomas.
Recent allegations that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has unlawfully received significant gifts have been met with strong criticism from a close ally, attorney Mark Paoletta. In an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, Paoletta dismantled a report by Fix the Court, which claims Thomas received nearly $4.2 million in undisclosed gifts between 2004 and 2023.
Clarence Thomas Under Fire: Ally Disputes Alleged Gifts and 'Political Hit Job'
Paoletta, co-author of the book "Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words," highlighted several purported flaws in Fix the Court's report. He claimed that the organization inflates the value of gifts, using an inconsistent standard for what constitutes a "gift."
For example, Paoletta pointed out that Fix the Court counts Thomas's trips and vacations with friends as gifts, while excluding similar trips taken by other justices. He also criticized the report for valuing a vacation taken by Thomas and his wife in Indonesia at $500,000, an estimate that Paoletta deemed "wildly inflated."
Clarence Thomas Under Fire: Ally Disputes Alleged Gifts and 'Political Hit Job'
Paoletta further alleged that Fix the Court's methodology was biased against Thomas. He noted that the report imputed a large number of "likely but not confirmed gifts" to Thomas but did not identify any such gifts for other justices.
Paoletta also questioned the timing of the report, released during the "hunting season" for Supreme Court justices. He suggested that the allegations were politically motivated, intended to pressure Thomas to recuse himself from cases involving former President Donald Trump.
Clarence Thomas Under Fire: Ally Disputes Alleged Gifts and 'Political Hit Job'
Fix the Court has defended its report, stating that it has been updated and that it stands by the information it presented. ProPublica, which has also reported on Thomas's alleged undisclosed gifts, maintained its independence and the accuracy of its reporting.
Paoletta's criticism has reignited questions about the politicization of the Supreme Court. He accused Thomas's critics of engaging in "a concerted effort" to undermine the conservative justice's reputation and delegitimize his rulings.
Clarence Thomas Under Fire: Ally Disputes Alleged Gifts and 'Political Hit Job'
The allegations against Thomas and the ensuing debate highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding the role of the Supreme Court in a highly polarized political environment.
