November 10, 2024

Clarence Thomas spent time at the Koch Brothers’ version of Coachella. Something tells us they weren’t making each other flower crowns.

Clarence Thomas #ClarenceThomas

  • A new ProPublica report uncovered another undisclosed trip made by SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas. 
  • This trip was for a fundraising event hosted by the Koch brothers’ network of nonprofits. 
  • Thomas was also criticized for attending the fundraiser over a decade ago.
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    Do you think Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas listens to Beyoncé?

    Maybe? Either way, in 2018, the controversial judge flew into California’s Coachella Valley for one of the snazziest events of the year. Unlike other influencers who make their way to Coachella, however, Thomas didn’t post about it on Instagram — or his financial disclosure forms.

    Of course, the event Thomas went to had nothing to do with the beloved music festival. Still, a new investigation from ProPublica uncovered his recent participation in a fundraiser hosted by the Koch brothers in the same desert valley in Southern California. (Oddly enough, the actual Coachella also has Koch connections.)

    Per the publication, a network of nonprofits handled by Charles Koch, an influential conservative, hosts its largest fundraiser in the Coachella Valley every winter. There, hundreds of donors fly in with cash in hand for a jam-packed weekend with their pals.

    Whether or not there was alternative music or alternative facts, guests schmoozed with some of the most powerful conservatives in the country: The lineup featured right-wing groups, including Americans For Prosperity and NFL star turned college football coach Deion Sanders.

    Aside from being incredibly exclusive, the Koch Network’s principal event is also extremely private, per ProPublica: Organizers rent out entire hotels and meticulously shred any documents on-site. News outlets at the time also reported that everyone had to lock their cell phones in pouches to prevent people from recording.

    In 2018 — just like Queen Bey a few miles away — Thomas was one of the headliners at the event, this one at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa in Indian Wells.

    A high-level staffer with the Koch brothers’ nonprofit network told ProPublica that Thomas attended dinners with the wealthiest donors and even gave guests a look into his judicial philosophy. Thomas’ appearances were coordinated by Leonard Leo — the influential conservative who happens to be a pretty big fan of the Justice.

    Thomas did not list the trip on his 2018 financial disclosure — a recurring theme for the Justice — and a former federal judge who spoke to ProPublica said his attendance, while not illegal, does raise questions about his conflicts of interest when handling Supreme Court cases with ties to the brothers.

    This isn’t even the first time Thomas has faced scrutiny for attending the event and not disclosing it. In 2010, reporters uncovered Thomas’ attendance at 2008’s GOP-chella. A spokesperson at the time said that he didn’t participate and only made a “brief drop-by.” The spokesperson did not elaborate on whether that meant he waved hello or spit a guest verse.

    Representatives for Thomas did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

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