The Soapbox

Joined: 08/13/1998 Posts: 21286
Likes: 14857

What's this?

Let's look at that football game.

ProPublica: "On Labor Day weekend 2019, Thomas boarded a private plane in Washington, D.C., for the first leg of a sojourn out West. The vacation had been months in the making and, thanks to Sokol, it was all taken care of. He’s hosted the Thomases virtually every summer for a decade. The first stop was the Great Plains. The Thomases were joined there by other couples, including one of the justice’s most vocal advocates, Mark Paoletta, who then worked for the federal government, and his wife. That Saturday, the group watched both the football and volleyball games from luxury suites. On Sunday, the morning after the football game in Nebraska, Sokol flew with Thomas by private jet to Sokol’s Paintbrush Ranch just outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming."

Paoletta tries to narrow that down to the price of a ticket: $65. (Yep, luxury suite and sideline access available to anyone at the ticket booth?)
[Post edited by DanTheFan at 08/21/2023 11:22AM]

(In response to this post by JMHoo)

Posted: 08/21/2023 at 10:28AM

PREV NEXT REPLY

Insert a Link

Enter the title of the link here:

Enter the full web address of the link here -- include the "http://" part:

Current Thread:

Mark Paoletta responds to the latest Pro Publica hit piece on -- JMHoo 08/21/2023 07:02AM

You are outraged over Hunter Biden's dumbassery, who is neither ... -- Blah 08/21/2023 10:33AM

Let's look at that football game. -- DanTheFan 08/21/2023 10:28AM

I'm sure you'd be fine trying a case in front of a Judge whom you didn't -- HptHokie 08/21/2023 10:03AM

You can say it’s not illegal, but get the fuck out of here with your lame, -- WahooRQ 08/21/2023 09:53AM

JM is what Ron Desantis described as a listless vessel. ** -- Blah 08/21/2023 10:39AM

Question: If someone offers a SCOTUS a big benefit -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 09:28AM

In my job I had to disclose anything of value I received over a de minimus -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:40AM

I agree, unless it is clearly an attempt to buy favor. ** -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:42AM

Even if it is, if I didn’t accept, am I conflicted? -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:52AM

But is it in the public interest to know if bribes are being offered? What -- HoosWillWin 08/21/2023 10:13AM

Great point. Bribery, attempts should be reported; it’s no longer a matter -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:56AM

But a thwarted attempt should not have to be disclosed … -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 09:52AM

I think a clear bribery attempt should be reported to the proper authority ** -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:54AM

Who assesses “clear”? ** -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 10:06AM

The authorities to whom I’ve reported the gift offer. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 10:21AM

Maybe not publicly disclosed. But should it have to reported to -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:54AM

Right but you are putting the onus on the person -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 10:05AM

I think I mean to do the opposite. If I had to disclose it publicly, sure, -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 10:20AM

But who gets to decide that if disclosure is not required? ** -- Hoo TV 08/21/2023 09:47AM

I guess we have relied on supreme court justices being of high character ** -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:49AM

Silly us. Presidents, too. Live and learn ** -- Hoo TV 08/21/2023 10:33AM

Is attempted but unsuccessful bribery a crime, like attempted murder? ** -- Hoo TV 08/21/2023 09:31AM

No, they're all 1A protected speech. A black letter right. Expect SCOTUS -- 81_Hokie 08/21/2023 09:34AM

Bought his mama’s house, upgraded it, she continues to live there for free. -- hooshouse 08/21/2023 09:26AM

Are those facts not in dispute? I need to hear from LA Law before -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 09:30AM

Isn’t the entire issue that Clarence didn’t disclose these things? -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:08AM

Yes, but there’s also the issue of him accepting these lavish gifts -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:41AM

This. Sounds way too simple, easy and transparent. -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 09:31AM

No fair! ** -- Hoo TV 08/21/2023 09:23AM

Fake News gonna Fake News. And the ThomasDSers bite down hard. ** -- Hoodafan 08/21/2023 08:04AM

Way to take a stand for ethics and transparency - hat tip ** -- HptHokie 08/21/2023 09:59AM

How can you conclude either way right now? ** -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 09:26AM

It’s like TFG declassifying docs via telepathy. He just knows. It’s 🌲 ** -- WaxHoo 08/21/2023 09:38AM

So you just automatically believe this other friend of his ** -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 08:07AM

I believe you don't try to assign the entire cost of a suite to one ticket -- Hoodafan 08/21/2023 10:29AM

You’re just the type of idiot who wants to believe Joe Biden is corrupt -- WahooRQ 08/21/2023 10:52AM

I believe US Supreme Court justices should decline lavish gifts from people -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 10:51AM

So you're fine with Pro Publica completely overstating the case, to inspire -- Hoodafan 08/21/2023 11:10AM

Interesting that you consider my belief in ethics to be a political -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 11:14AM

I'm sure I just missed all your "outrage" over Sottamayor's book extortion -- Hoodafan 08/21/2023 11:19AM

Outrage? No, she basically charged an additional fee for her services -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 11:54AM

Not even a halfway good waddabout. Her book deal was public and she -- WahooRQ 08/21/2023 11:49AM

I think they just pretend that she HAS been on that private -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 12:14PM

That’s how high quality Trumpistani internet research works. -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:12AM

As if that serves as any kind of validation. -- Chuck Taylor 08/21/2023 09:21AM

Don’t forget about all the “fake news” references about the reporting you -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:26AM

It is the kind of reflexive projection that MUST be the product of the -- Chuck Taylor 08/21/2023 12:08PM

Of course he does. -- BocaHoo91 08/21/2023 08:16AM

Boo hoo ** -- WaxHoo 08/21/2023 07:53AM

Thanks for your input Harry Reid. ** -- Hoodafan 08/21/2023 08:05AM

Yeah. -- WaxHoo 08/21/2023 08:55AM

Doesn’t he admit to being Clarence’s friend early in the -- Tuckahokie 08/21/2023 07:43AM

Then why not disclose them? ** -- HoodatB 08/21/2023 09:32AM

If Clarence disclosed these trips and gifts when they happened, we wouldn’t -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:21AM

I don't disagree...my point is there should be plenty of verifiable -- Tuckahokie 08/21/2023 09:25AM

Well, maybe, if the friend is telling the truth. Who knows? The point here -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:36AM

Agree...both Judges and elected officials as well. ** -- Tuckahokie 08/21/2023 09:42AM

If you’re looking to distract from the real, central issue, I agree. -- hoolstoptheheels 08/21/2023 09:31AM

I'm not looking to distract...Thomas was feeding at the trough waaaaaay too -- Tuckahokie 08/21/2023 09:33AM

Meant as a response to Matt05…I need my covefe ** -- Tuckahokie 08/21/2023 07:44AM

Literally the worst source in the world on this specific issue -- WahooMatt05 08/21/2023 07:33AM

Yeah, Pro Publica kind of leaves shit out, but you believe what -- Lupos 08/21/2023 08:20AM

Thomas has not, to my understanding, disputed any of the Harlan Crow -- Plano Hoo 08/21/2023 08:32AM

He didn’t have to disclose it, so there’s nothing to amend. -- JMHoo 08/21/2023 08:55AM

Then why did he say he would do it? ** -- Plano Hoo 08/21/2023 10:02AM

He got caught? ** -- Hoo TV 08/21/2023 10:40AM

Well, you are a Trump stooge, so you don’t care about ethics, or honesty, -- 111Balz 08/21/2023 09:38AM