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submitted 11 months ago by girlfreddy@sh.itjust.works to c/news@lemmy.world

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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[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

That’s a good point, they should get more pay. You’d expect them to be among the highest paid government workers. Given that DC is a high cost of living city and software engineers at other high cost of living cities can make that and lawyers significantly more, I’d agree they are overdue for a significant raise.

That doesn’t excuse the corruption, and I doubt it would be enough to stop him crying poverty

this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2023
356 points (98.1% liked)

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