(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden criticized Justice Clarence Thomas for yacht trips covered by a conservative friend, despite his own history of enjoying extravagant vacations sponsored by donors.
In an interview published Monday by the New Yorker magazine, Biden referred to Thomas as “the guy who likes to spend a lot of time on yachts” in what appeared to be an attack for his conservative jurisprudence.
Biden’s hypocritical remarks came in response to the interviewer’s questions about Thomas implying that the rationale behind overturning Roe v. Wade – the case that established a constitutional right to abortion – could be applied to cases related to same-sex marriage, anti-gay discrimination and contraception.
In all these cases, the Supreme Court has faced accusations of fabricating laws, widely seen as an overreach of their judicial power. Some conservatives, including Thomas, have argued that Congress, not the court, should determine matters like gay marriage and contraception.
Biden told the New Yorker that he believed the conservative majority on the Court would not dare to “go there.” However, he implied that he thought “a couple on the Court would go considerably further,” including Thomas, whom Biden then attacked with his yacht reference.
The president’s jest against Thomas seemed to echo left-wing criticism directed at the sole black man on the court for his trips with Harlan Crow, a longstanding friend and a Republican billionaire donor.
Allegations raised by ProPublica, a left-wing investigative news outlet, claimed that Thomas did not disclose these trips, creating an what the left has described as an illusion of ethical issues. Allies of Thomas have rebuked such claims as “bogus.”
In contrast, Biden himself has vacationed at the homes of powerful and well-connected Democratic donors. These stays ranged from free vacations in the U.S. Virgin Islands to opulent getaways in Nantucket.
Adding to the concern, Biden failed to disclose these complimentary stays in his annual disclosures, the New York Post reported last year.
“Biden repeatedly stayed at donors $20-30M mansions (w/ donors not there) for free vacations. Ethics experts say it violates law. VP Biden repeatedly helped son Hunter in business deals,” attorney Mark Paoletta and Thomas friend wrote on Twitter.
1/Grifter in chief @POTUS Biden attacks Justice Thomas, who has complied w/ ethics rules. Biden repeatedly stayed at donors $20-30M mansions (w/ donors not there) for free vacations. Ethics experts say it violates law. VP Biden repeatedly helped son Hunter in business deals. pic.twitter.com/n544AkMCMF
— Mark Paoletta (@MarkPaoletta) March 4, 2024
For instance, Biden stayed free of charge for New Year’s at the St. Croix beachfront villa owned by Bill and Connie Neville, both wealthy friends. Just a year earlier, Biden faced criticism for not disclosing the value of such a complimentary stay in his disclosure.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS: Biden is vacationing at the St. Croix home of the founder of the company that controls news content distribution for 800 media companies including the AP, BBC, and ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Omf4nK7HNj
— @amuse (@amuse) December 27, 2023
In August 2023, Biden and his family once again enjoyed a complimentary stay at the home of donor Maria Allwin, a nine-bedroom residence located on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, as reported by the New York Post.
Biden enjoyed free Thanksgiving holidays in 2021, 2022, and 2023 at the Nantucket Island compound of billionaire investor David Rubenstein, the newspaper wrote.
In August, Biden relaxed at the Lake Tahoe mansion of Democratic billionaire donor Tom Steyer. This time, however, the White House claimed it was at “fair market value.”
You would never know it because mainstream press framing is so wildly off, but Biden has regularly stayed at billionaires’ homes as President as his net worth is more than double Thomas’ https://t.co/kdvngL0AhP pic.twitter.com/DwLBwUakCA
— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) March 5, 2024
