Clarence Thomas' Popularity Rises With GOP After Harlan Crow Scandal

• Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has come under scrutiny for not disclosing trips paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.
• A new poll found that the majority of Americans disapprove of Thomas' failure to disclose the trips.
• The same poll found Republicans' approval of Thomas has risen since February.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' popularity has risen with Republicans since it was reported he and his wife took trips paid for by billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow without disclosing them, according to a new poll.

ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization, reported on April 6 that the conservative justice had accepted luxury trips from Crow nearly every year for more than two decades.

Thomas, 74, and his wife have traveled on Crow's yacht and private jet as well as stayed at his private resort in the Adirondack Mountains, according to the report.

One vacation to Indonesia in 2019 that was detailed in the report could have cost more than $500,000 if Thomas had chartered the plane and yacht himself.

Thomas, in a statement a day after the report was published, said he was not required to disclose the trips.

But Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have called on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to open an investigation.

A new survey conducted by YouGov and The Economist between April 8 and 11 among 1,500 adults found most Americans disapprove of Thomas failing to disclose the trips.

The survey found 58 percent of Americans do not approve—with 42 percent "strongly" disapproving—of Thomas accepting the luxury trips without including them on his financial disclosures, while 24 percent approve. Republicans were slightly more likely to disapprove (40 percent) than approve (34 percent)—and 26 percent were .

But the survey also found that Republicans' views of Thomas have improved in the last two months.

The poll found 67 percent of Republicans have a favorable view of Thomas, compared with 13 percent unfavorable. That result means Thomas' net favorability among Republicans has risen to +54, up seven points from February.

Meanwhile, 25 percent of Democrats have a favorable view of Thomas, compared to 60 percent with an unfavorable view.

Americans appeared divided on whether Thomas broke the law, with 43 percent saying he did, and 28 percent saying he didn't. Among Republicans, nearly a quarter (24 percent) say he broke the law, but 47 percent say he did not.

However, the results also indicate that many Americans have not heard about Thomas accepting trips without disclosing them.

Some 21 percent said they've heard "a lot" about it, while 46 percent say they've heard "a little." A third said they had heard nothing at all.

Among Republicans, 14 percent said they heard "a lot," 49 percent said they'd heard "a little" and 38 percent said they'd heard nothing.

Thomas said he was advised by colleagues on the high court and others in the federal judiciary that "this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable."

Supreme Court justices are required to file an annual financial disclosure report listing gifts they have received, but provides exemptions for hospitality from friends.

In March, the federal judiciary adopted new rules requiring judges, including the Supreme Court justices, to disclose more of their activities. Overnight stays at personal vacation homes owned by friends remain exempt from disclosure.

Thomas said he has always sought to comply with disclosure guidelines.

Of the recent changes to the guidelines, he said: "It is, of course, my intent to follow this guidance in the future."

Democratic lawmakers have said the ProPublica report demonstrates yet again why the Supreme Court should adopt an ethics code.

In 2022, Thomas faced calls for his resignation after it was reported that he did not recuse himself from election cases following the 2020 election even though his wife, Virginia Thomas, a conservative activist, had reached out to the Trump White House and lawmakers to attempt to overturn election results.