Summary
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing questions again about his failure to disclose transactions with a Republican megadonor. A new report by ProPublica details a 2014 real estate deal in which Harlan Crow's company paid $133,000 to Thomas and his family to buy the home where the justice's mother lived. Geoff Bennett discussed the report with Gabe Roth of Fix the Court. For a transcript of this story, click here . News wrap alternative : Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching! You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.Five Facts
- Who is interviewed for this story, and what is his background?
- Why has Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas been facing scrutiny for his relationship with billionaire Harlan Crow?
- When and Where did Harlan Crow buy property from Thomas?
- What are some of the other gifts Crow has given to Thomas that Thomas didn't disclose?
- How should government officials respond to revelations about undisclosed gifts and payments to Thomas, according to Gabe Roth?
Focus Questions
Why might it be a problem for Supreme Court justices (or other judges) to accept expensive gifts and favorable financial deals from others? What rules do you think should be in place around gifts from acquaintances for justices? Media Literacy: The guest for this segment is introduced as Gabe Roth of "Fix the Court" which is identified as "a group that advocates for court reforms." What reforms do you think Fix the Court wants to see? How could you find out? Alternative : See, Think, Wonder : What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?For More
What students can do : As a class, visit the website of Fix the Court , the organization that guest Gabe Roth represents. You can visit this page to find a list of reforms that Fix the Court is advocating. Read through the list and discuss:- What reforms do you agree should be put in place?
- Are you surprised that any of these suggested changes are not already in place?
- Who do you think should have power as a watchdog over Supreme Court justice actions?
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