this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2023
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After almost a decade on the court, Thomas had grown frustrated with his financial situation, according to friends. He had recently started raising his young grandnephew, and Thomas’ wife was soliciting advice on how to handle the new expenses. The month before, the justice had borrowed $267,000 from a friend to buy a high-end RV.

At the resort, Thomas gave a speech at an off-the-record conservative conference. He found himself seated next to a Republican member of Congress on the flight home. The two men talked, and the lawmaker left the conversation worried that Thomas might resign.

Congress should give Supreme Court justices a pay raise, Thomas told him. If lawmakers didn’t act, “one or more justices will leave soon” — maybe in the next year.

At the time, Thomas’ salary was $173,600, equivalent to over $300,000 today. But he was one of the least wealthy members of the court, and on multiple occasions in that period, he pushed for ways to make more money. In other private conversations, Thomas repeatedly talked about removing a ban on justices giving paid speeches.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 139 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That's called soliciting a bribe....

Gee rich people who put me into power, 300k just isn't enough to live off of and if I don't get more money I might resign in a year a liberal would pick me replacement....

[–] ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.com 36 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Stochastic bribery? "Won't someone rid me of this meddlesome debt?"

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 113 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Somehow, we've been able to raise a child on a lot less than $173,600. Of course, we didn't take a loan to buy a high-end RV.

Maybe Thomas should have done the thing that Republicans keep saying people aren't doing and live within his means.

[–] maryjayjay@lemmy.world 17 points 11 months ago

He should lay off the lattes and avocado toast. Needs a side hustle

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

It's not like he was making payments on the loan, either.

[–] ickplant@lemmy.world 70 points 11 months ago (1 children)

As a parent, I get it. We had to buy 17 luxury RVs before my son turned 18. It’s brutal out there.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago

Nobody understandz me

[–] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 63 points 11 months ago

Just a reminder that he voted against student loan relief and was able to get over a quarter of a million of debt forgiven.

I choose my word carefully. I said "voted". Whatever it is those people think they are doing on the court has nothing to do with the law.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 62 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

You know… if you can’t make do with nearly 200k+ for a salary…

Maybe you should learn to figure it out rather than solicit bribes from people like Harlan Crow.

[–] superduperenigma@lemmy.world 20 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Has he tried laying off the avocado toast and making coffee at home?

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Nope. Why do you think he got that RV? To support his avocado-toast and coffee habit! How else is he going to get out there and try the very best?

[–] charonn0@startrek.website 56 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

The month before, the justice had borrowed $267,000 from a friend to buy a high-end RV.

Just cut back on the avocado toast.

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago

"Borrowed" money he never repaid and was never expected to be repaid.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 46 points 11 months ago (3 children)

One of the consequences of hanging out with billionaires is that it makes one feel puny.

In an documentary about super rich kids, Ivanka Trump (a teenager at the time) said it was impossible to maintain friendships with people of modest means because you either had to exclude them from extravagant social events or pay their way. This leaves the poorer party feeling left out or awkwardly obligated.

It's likely that Thomas resents his benefactors. It's deeply ironic that Thomas apparently spends so much time in situations where he's the subordinate.

[–] AlfredEinstein@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'll hang out with him.

My wife and I haven't seen the new Godzilla movie yet. We can double date with Charence and Ginni.

[–] PoliticalAgitator@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I won't. He's not a good person and doesn't make even a token effort to pretend otherwise.

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

Yeah, plus being so poor, I don't want to have to pay for him.

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

I had a boss back in the '90s who used to be a corporate headhunter in San Francisco and then moved back to the east coast and bought a temp agency. He hired me to do computer stuff for his dalliance into futures trading so I had access to his finances; he had investment accounts of around $5 million, a 50' sailboat, a couple BMWs and the temp agency which earned him around $25K per month, so he was rich by almost anybody's standards. But he had many friends back in the bay area who were worth hundreds of millions of dollars and the reality of his relative poverty absolutely ate him alive - it was virtually the only thing he could talk about and explained his adventures in futures trading.

Hilariously, I once watched him berate his two temp agency receptionists (who made $7 an hour) because his monthly income had dropped from $40K to $25K, as if it was their fault and they could be expected to give a shit in the first place.

[–] Zoboomafoo@lemmy.world 39 points 11 months ago

He found himself seated next to a Republican member of Congress on the flight home

Aww gee, what a coincidence

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 37 points 11 months ago

When Richard Nixon was President, his salary was $200,000 /year and that was considered a fabulous sum. The inflated salaries of CEOs was a result of Reagan deregulating the banks.

[–] SangersSequence@lemmy.world 33 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Quit then. Corrupt piece of shit.

Really seems like this is just a blatant attempt to coerce Republican legislators though. "Give us more money or that precious right wing majority you grifted so hard to get installed might be at risk".

Edit: typo

[–] Jaysyn@kbin.social 27 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That sounds a lot like soliciting & being given a bribe.

[–] ExLisper@linux.community 11 points 11 months ago

Let's ask the Supreme Court if it's a crime. They said no.

[–] oDDmON@lemmy.world 20 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Another reason for the court to be subjected to change; they’re all wealthy fucks who have no clue, or care, how their rulings affect everyone outside the donor class.

[–] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

This always pops in my head when they issue some anti-privacy thing. None of them have to deal with normal border security, none of them are at risk of stop and frisk, none of them can lose their job because of some personal choice, none of them are seriously concerned that some cop will lie about drugs. Their salary and who knows how much bodyguards and aids puts them in a position that has no relationship to what the regular general public deals with.

[–] PugJesus@kbin.social 17 points 11 months ago

God, I wish he would have. Of course, it was nothing but an empty threat to get him more bribes.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 15 points 11 months ago

Don't threaten us with a good time, Clarence.

[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Why will he not fuck off and die?

[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 7 points 11 months ago

He and Senator McConnell have Kissinger's kiss: Somehow people hellbent on being evil get to live for a very long time.

[–] LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] TriPolarBearz@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

I wonder what his nieces and nephews call him?

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

Mo powa, mo monah