Federal judicial conference says it will not refer Justice Thomas to DOJ over ethics concerns

The federal U.S. Judicial Conference on Thursday said it will not be referring Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the Justice Department over allegations that he could have violated ethics laws. 

Thomas has been accused of violating the court's ethical guidelines by failing to report certain luxurious trips that was covered by close friend and mega Republican donor Harlan Crow. Thomas claimed he was told that he did not need to report the trips because of his close relationship with Crow and his wife. 

The judicial conference wrote in a letter to senators that it was not clear whether law allows the conference to refer a Supreme Court justice to Attorney General Merrick Garland, but that a referral was not needed in this case anyway because two Democratic senators called on Garland to appoint a special counsel for the matter over the summer. That appointment was never made, according to the Associated Press.

U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad, who serves as the conference's secretary, also noted that Thomas has agreed to follow updated reporting requirements for trips and gifts, including clearer guidelines on gifts from friends. 

The group also sent a similar letter to a conservative group that accused Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson of failing to report properly the source of her husband’s consulting income. 

Jackson has also agreed to follow updated reporting requirements and has amended her financial disclosures, Conrad said.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.