SCOTUS corruption: GOP billionaire paid private school tuition for Justice Thomas’ nephew – National & International News – THU 4May2023

SCOTUS corruption: GOP billionaire paid private school tuition for Justice Thomas’ nephew.

Proud Boys ex-leader, three others found guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 case.

US denies involvement in Moscow drone attack.

NATIONAL NEWS

SCOTUS corruption: GOP billionaire paid private school tuition for Justice Thomas’ nephew

ProPublica brings yet more revelations about the relationship between Republican megadonor Harlan Crow and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Last month, the outlet uncovered two separate stories about Crow and Thomas that have prompted concerns about ethics oversight, or the lack thereof, at the Court.

First came a lengthy exposé about luxury trips Thomas and his wife Ginny have enjoyed over two decades at Crow’s expense. Then the outlet revealed that Crow had purchased plots of land from Thomas in Georgia. As part of this deal, Crow purchased the home where Thomas’ elderly mother still resides and apparently isn’t charging her rent. Thomas did not declare any of these gifts or financial transactions on his mandatory federal disclosure forms.

Now it comes to light that Crow footed the bill to send Justice Thomas’ nephew to at least two pricey private boarding schools. Thomas adopted his great-nephew, Mark Martin, when he was 6-years-old. According to reports from the time, Thomas said he was “raising [Martin} as a son”.

Propublica has obtained receipts for at least one payment to Hidden Lake Academy for over $6000 in Martin’s name. This was enough to cover about a month’s tuition at the school, which Martin attended for a year. Former school administrator Christopher Grimwood told ProPublica that Crow paid Martin’s tuition for the entire year. Grimwood also said that Crow told him personally that he’d paid Martin’s tuition at another boarding school both before and after Martin’s time at Hidden Lake.

If Crow paid for all four years of Martin’s private education, the total could come to over $150,000. Crow does not deny paying for Martin’s education. In fact, Crow’s spokesperson explained it as an example of Crow’s passion for educating “less fortunate” and “at-risk youth”. Thomas did not declare a penny of this on his disclosure forms. Curiously, Thomas did disclose a $5000 gift for Martin’s education from another friend.

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Proud Boys ex-leader, three others found guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 case

After a months-long trial and over a week of deliberation, jurors have found former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three other members guilty of seditious conspiracy related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. A fifth member, Dominic Pezzola, was found not guilty on the seditious conspiracy charge. However, the jury found Pezzola guilty of assaulting officers and other charges.

All five defendants also received convictions on numerous other felonies such as to conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, and destruction of government property. Each of them is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

In both opening and closing arguments, attorneys for the defendants insisted that their clients were mere pawns and that former President Donald Trump was the real culprit on Jan. 6. In closing arguments, Tarrio’s attorney said his client was a “scapegoat for Donald J. Trump and for those in power”. 

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

US denies involvement in Moscow drone attack

On Wednesday, Russian forces shot down two drones above the Kremlin, the fortified complex in Moscow which is the seat of Russia’s central government. Russian officials expressed outrage and have alleged that Ukraine launched the drones at the direction of the US. Moscow also have characterized the strike as an attempt on the life of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky has denied that his forces had any part in the attack. This denial is somewhat unusual as Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in other attacks that have taken place inside Russia over the past year. Other Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia staged the attack itself as a pretext for escalating its violence in Ukraine. In recent days, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv has seen more deadly shelling than it had for months.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also dismissed Russia’s allegation of US involvement in the attack as “ludicrous”.

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