Who be Justice Clarence Thomas and why e dey defend luxury trips

US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, say im believe say di luxury travels wey im do wit one billionaire Republican donor follow guidelines.

One ProPublica report earlier dis week say Thomas bin accept vacations from real estate billionaire Harlan Crow nearly every year for twenty years.

According to US law, Supreme Court justices dey required to file annual disclosures of gifts.

Thomas say im bin believe say "dis kain personal hospitality" no apply.

According to ProPublica, di trip include several for Crow luxury yacht and private plane, as well as spending one week every summer for di Adirondack mountains.

One trip, to Indonesia for 2019, fit cost as much as $500,000 (£402,725), according to di non-profit news website.

For statement on Friday, Thomas say im bin ask for “guidance from my colleagues plus odas for di judiciary" and dem tell am say “dis kain personal hospitality from close personal friends, no dey get business before di court, no dey reportable".

"I don try to follow dat advice throughout my tenure, and don always try to comply wit di disclosure guidelines," di statement add.

Thomas describe Crow and im wife Kathy Crow as "among our dearest friends, and we don be friends for over twenty-five years".

Virginia Canter, former goment ethics lawyer wey serve under Democratic and Republican administrations, tell BBC News say e no get any indication say Thomas bin try get official opinion on di mata.

"E no get any accountability for di court... each justice be like e decide for imsef who dem dey go to for advice and which rules apply," di lawyer, wey speak wit ProPublica for im report, add.

BBC News never fit to verify ProPublica report, wey try to contrast Thomas public comments as e give e very deep details of di trips and gifts.

"I prefer RV parks. I prefer di Walmart parking lots to di beaches and tins like dat," im tell one documentary about im life. "I come from regular background and I prefer dat - I prefer to day around dat."

Crow na leading donor to Republican and conservative political mata for US, im tell ProPublica say im trips wei Thomas and im wife Ginni Thomas "no dey different from di hospitality wey we extend to many oda dear friends."

"Justice Thomas and Ginni no ever ask for any of dis hospitality," im statement tok.

Crow statement add say dem “no ever discuss” court cases during dia travels and say im no sabi any attempts by oda guests wey dey "lobby or try to influence Justice Thomas on any cases".

"I no go ever invite anyone wey I believe get any intention of doing dat," he say. "Dis na gatherings of friends."

Afta ProPublica report, several Democratic lawmakers call investigation into Thomas and for stricter code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices.

"Dis one pass party or partisanship. Dis degree of corruption dey shocking – e almost be like cartoon," New York Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tok for Twitter. "Thomas must dey impeached".

Process of impeachment

Di process of impeaching Supreme Court judge na di same as impeaching oda officials, and e dey begin wit di House of Representatives drafting articles of impeachment.

While dem only need majority to impeach federal judge for House, Dem need two-third majority from di Senate for conviction to happun.

Di current 50-50 split for di Senate between Republicans and Democrats mean say di conviction dey extremely unlikely.

Thomas na one of six conservative-leaning justices of di nine-member Supreme Court.

Dis recent report no be di first time wey dem dey torchlight Thomas private trips.

For 2004, di Los Angeles Times report say Thomas accept gift and private jet flights from Crow, including one $15,000 Abraham Lincoln bust and $19,000 Bible wey bin belong to di 19th Century US black activist Frederick Douglass.

Thomas no comment dat time. Im no disclose any more trips afta dat report.

Last year, Thomas come under heavy criticism afta imformate surface say im no rescue imsef from election-related cases afta tori surface say Ginni Thomas repeated ask Trump White House staff to overturn di 2020 presidential election.

Madam Thomas later tell congressional committee wey dey investigate di 6 January riot wey occur for US Capitol say she regret "all dis texts" and claim say she bin "probably just dey emotional" during "emotional time".

Who be Clarence Thomas?

Clarence Thomas na di only second black justice wey don ever serve for di highest US court.

Im dey popular for avoiding controversy and dem sabi am im dey hardly follow ask oda justices to aggressively question lawyers wey dey argue cases.

Im journey as US Supreme Court justice begin afta one of di most controversial confirmation battles for di history of US Senate.

President George H.W. Bush n aim bin nominate Thomas for di Supreme Court to replace Thurgood Marshall wey bin announce im retirement for 1991.

Dem born Thomas for 23 June 1948 for di state of Georgia.