Thomas Pushed for Supreme Court Pay Raises While Accumulating Debt, Gifts from Donors
• Thomas complained to GOP Rep. Cliff Stearns in 2000 that his $173K salary wasn't enough, warning one or more justices may resign soon if pay wasn't raised
• Stearns feared Thomas would leave the Court and worried about losing a staunch conservative justice with Clinton as president
• Thomas was hundreds of thousands in debt at the time and pushed allowing justices to give paid speeches to supplement income
• Over the years, Thomas accepted free vacations, tuition payments, and other gifts from billionaire Harlan Crow worth thousands
• By 2019 Thomas said justices' pay was "plenty" but weeks later vacationed on Crow's private jet and 162-foot yacht