Justice Samuel Alito reported accepting $900 worth of concert tickets from German princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis in his annual financial disclosure.
AP News noted that this report is part of the Supreme Court’s financial disclosure process, which has come under heightened scrutiny due to concerns about ethics and justices’ relationships with wealthy benefactors.
Alito’s disclosure comes amidst growing public interest in the financial dealings and gifts accepted by Supreme Court justices.
The concert tickets were noted in Alito's 2023 report, although the form did not include further details about the nature of the event or its significance.
The ethics surrounding the Supreme Court have faced increasing attention due to various gifts and trips disclosed by justices.
Alito’s recent report did not include outside income from book deals or teaching, contrasting with other justices who have reported significant payments from such sources. In the past, Alito was scrutinized for accepting a private plane trip to a luxury fishing lodge in Alaska, provided by two Republican donors in 2008.
At the time, Alito argued that he was not required to disclose the trip, citing a previous exemption for personal hospitality. This lack of transparency led to greater demands for clearer ethics standards for the justices.
Justice Clarence Thomas has also been in the spotlight for his financial dealings. Thomas reported travel financed by Harlan Crow, a prominent Republican donor, including a stay in Bali and lodging at an exclusive private club in California.
These trips have fueled calls for stronger oversight of justices’ financial disclosures and have added to concerns regarding the influence of wealthy individuals on the judiciary.
In addition, financial disclosure forms submitted by other justices highlighted the acceptance of high-value gifts, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s report of over $3,700 in concert tickets for a Beyoncé performance. Several justices also reported substantial earnings from book deals, in contrast to Alito’s disclosure, which did not show any such income.
Beyond the concert tickets, Alito reported the sale of stock in Anheuser-Busch, valued between $1,000 and $15,000, in August 2023.
His report also noted a loan from Edward D. Jones dating back to 2015, initially valued between $250,000 and $500,000. Alito indicated that this loan had largely been repaid, although it had been omitted from some previous financial reports.
Alito has faced criticism not only for his financial dealings but also for flags flown outside properties he owned.
He responded to the criticism by clarifying that the flags were raised by his wife, not himself, although this detail remains a point of public contention.
Amid these controversies, the Supreme Court recently introduced a new ethics code to address some of the transparency concerns surrounding justices' financial disclosures. The code treats travel, food, and lodging provided by others as reportable expenses rather than gifts.
However, critics argue that the code lacks an enforcement mechanism, leaving significant gaps in accountability.
Additionally, justices are not required to attach a monetary value to disclosed expenses, making it difficult for the public to gauge the extent of the benefits received.
Despite calls for a binding code of conduct from figures such as President Joe Biden and Justice Elena Kagan, legislative action on this issue faces long odds in a closely divided Congress.
Democrats have been vocal in their calls for stricter ethics rules and greater transparency from the justices.
President Biden and Democratic lawmakers have pushed for an investigation into potential violations of ethical standards, particularly in light of recent revelations. Justice Kagan has also expressed support for a binding code of conduct for the Court, underscoring the need for stronger regulations.
However, the likelihood of such reforms passing through Congress remains slim due to the current political environment.
With the legislature evenly split, any major changes to Supreme Court ethics rules face significant opposition, making it unlikely that comprehensive reform will be enacted in the near future.
