12:30 Report

The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Clarence Thomas reportedly failed to disclose lavish trips

by Elizabeth Crisp - 04/06/23 12:30 PM ET

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

TALK OF THE MORNING

Report — Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips without disclosing them:

ProPublica has an explosive story out this morning on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Based on ProPublica’s reporting, Thomas has accepted many luxury trips from GOP megadonor and Dallas businessman Harlan Crow without disclosing the travel freebies.

From the report: “For more than two decades, Thomas has accepted luxury trips virtually every year from the Dallas businessman without disclosing them, documents and interviews show.”

The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld looks at calls from Democrats to ratchet up scrutiny of Thomas and other justices following the report.

Some highlights from the outlet’s investigation into the unprecedented situation:

Thomas spends about a week every summer at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondacks (an invite-only site that notably features a 1950s-style soda fountain where staff make milkshakes for guests).
Thomas’s failure to report the flights appears to violate a law passed after Watergate.
Thomas isn’t talking — he didn’t respond to ProPublica’s questions, but Crow told the site that the travel gifts are “no different from the hospitality we have extended to our many other dear friends.” He also said he doesn’t discuss court cases with the justice.
ProPublica interviewed “dozens of people ranging from (Crow’s) superyacht staff to members of the secretive Bohemian Club to an Indonesian scuba diving instructor.”

This anecdote captures the extravagant travels: “In late June 2019, right after the U.S. Supreme Court released its final opinion of the term, Justice Clarence Thomas boarded a large private jet headed to Indonesia. He and his wife were going on vacation: nine days of island-hopping in a volcanic archipelago on a superyacht staffed by a coterie of attendants and a private chef. If Thomas had chartered the plane and the 162-foot yacht himself, the total cost of the trip could have exceeded $500,000.”

Check out the full ProPublica investigation here.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) responded to the report by calling for Thomas to be impeached.

DON’T FORGET:

Thomas and his wife, conservative activist Ginni Thomas, have previously faced scrutiny over Ginni Thomas’s ties to former President Trump and the 2020 election fraud claims that prompted the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol.

A new book out this week reportedly suggests that Ginni Thomas was the subject of consternation at the High Court over her political activities.

Newsweek reports: “In her new book, Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court’s Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences, CNN senior Supreme Court analyst Joan Biskupic claims that (Justice) Thomas’ Supreme Court colleagues displayed loyalty to him while criticizing his wife.”

It’s Thursday, April 6. After a couple of days of lovely weather, you still have time to check out the cherry blossoms. I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up.

Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips, add me to your media lists and share your funny animal videos ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp.

In Congress

Senate, House at odds on how to deal with Trump call to defund DOJ, FBI::

Former President Trump’s call for Congress to defund the Department of Justice and the FBI has created a new quandary for Republican leaders who have sought to carve out a tough on crime image for the GOP.

Trump supporters in the House appear open to threatening to cut funding for the nation’s top law enforcement agencies, despite others, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), having spent months trying to paint President Biden and other Democrats as being weak on crime. Republicans have also repeatedly criticized the “Defund the Police” movement that has spread in progressive circles.

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that the whole thing is creating headaches for some Republicans, particularly those in districts where they could face tough campaigns in the coming year. It also adds more fuel to the ongoing House/Senate GOP divide that Trump has fueled.

KEY QUOTE: “Trump is creating problems for Republicans everywhere,” Steven S. Smith, a political science professor at Washington University in St. Louis told Bolton. “It’s almost impossible to see anything good from this kind of comment coming for the Republicans.”

McCarthy meets with Taiwan president:

Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) historic bipartisan meeting with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen this week has drawn praise from some unsuspected sources, while also facing rebuke from the Chinese government.

McCarthy is the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to meet with Tsai in the U.S. Several members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party were on hand for the event.

Chinese officials denounced the meeting and warned that countermeasures and consequences could follow — a concern that McCarthy addressed.

“I felt our meeting today provided a greater peace and stability for the world. America’s support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan,” he said, adding that there’s “no need for retaliation” from Beijing.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington had directly warned members of Congress that they shouldn’t take part in the meetings, which it views as “serious political provocations.”

RARE PRAISE: Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) granted long-time rival McCarthy an extremely rare bit of praise after his meeting, which she said should “be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue.”

Pelosi traveled to Taiwan last year on a diplomatic mission that similarly prompted backlash from China. That trip made Pelosi the highest-ranking U.S. leader to visit the self-governing island since 1997.

Happening now: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is in Taiwan with a bipartisan delegation that landed overnight.

“While there, the delegation will meet with Taiwanese business leaders, as well as senior Taiwanese officials from the executive and legislative branches to discuss ways the U.S. can strengthen our economic and defense relationship with Taiwan in the face of growing threats to the region,” McCaul said in a statement on the trip.

🐰 In the White House

EGGcelent event planned at White House next week:

Monday is the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, and first lady Jill Biden is planning an “EGG-ucation” event, focusing on schools again.

The Hill’s Alex Gangitano reports about 30,000 people are expected to attend. VIPs on the list for special appearances include “The Little Mermaid” singer/actress Halle Bailey, Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles players and cast members from The Lion King on Broadway.

Attendees also will include families of the crews of the U.S.S. Delaware and U.S.S. Gabrielle Giffords.

🏃 2024

Trump makes direct appeal to DeSantis donors, arguing his 2024 nomination is ‘inevitable’:

Former President Trump is going after GOP rival’s biggest donors directly as he tries to undercut Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ support in a potential 2024 presidential election.

DeSantis hasn’t announced he’s running, but Trump, who is making his third bid for the White House after losing to President Biden in 2020, is already on the offensive, regularly attacking DeSantis in public comments, written statements and ads that have been placed by the Trump-backing Make America Great Again PAC.

Now, Politico reports that based on a memo to DeSantis supporters that the outlet obtained Trump’s campaign is going directly for the Florida governor’s campaign coffers.

The memo reportedly states: “The two things the memo illustrates are the President’s huge numbers and Governor Ron DeSantis’ collapsing numbers. Now is the time to demonstrate your support and join” Trump’s backers.

👀 In other news

‘Brink of a nuclear war’: North Korea sends not-so-subtle warning to U.S., South Korea:

North Korea has signaled that continued United States and South Korea military exercises could push tensions to the “brink of a nuclear war.”

The most recent exercise, which U.S. and South Korean officials have described as defensive preparations in case of an attack from the North, prompted North Korea to fire a missile from the Sea of Japan.

Read more from The Hill here.

🐥 Notable tweets

AOC claps back at Marjorie Taylor Greene over NYC dis:

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.)had some choice words for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) after the Georgia Congresswoman called New York City “disgusting” and “repulsive” during a Fox News appearance.

“If anyone went on TV and talked about a rural area like this, it’d be gloves off – and deservedly so. This is no different. If she doesn’t like the greatest city in the United States, that’s her problem,” AOC tweeted about her fellow three-initialed, headline-grabbing colleague.

⏱ On tap

The House and Senate are on Spring Break through April 17. President Biden is in D.C., but the Bidens will be heading to Camp David later today. Vice President Harris is traveling to Tennessee and Georgia to promote the Investing in America agenda.

11 a.m.: President Biden receives the Presidential Daily Briefing.
11:45 a.m.: Vice President Harris arrived in Chattanooga, Tenn.
1 p.m.: Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters.
1:15 p.m.: Harris will tour Qcells, a solar panel manufacturing plant in Dalton, Ga.
1:50 p.m.: Harris will deliver remarks on the administration’s Investing in America agenda.
4:20 p.m.: Biden and the first lady depart for Camp David, where they will spend the weekend.
4:30 p.m.: Harris will depart Chattanooga and return to D.C.