On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito revealed he accepted $900 in concert tickets from German royal Gloria von Thurn und Taxis. This disclosure came as part of his annual financial report, which he submitted after an extension, unlike his fellow justices who filed theirs in June.
In addition to the tickets, Alito reported selling stock in Anheuser Busch—between $1,000 and $15,000 worth—in August 2023, along with a partially paid-off loan from Edward D. Jones worth $250,000 to $500,000 when taken out in 2015. Notably, Alito did not report any income from teaching or book deals, while other justices noted earnings in the six-figure range from their publications.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Similarly, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson disclosed receiving concert tickets valued at over $3,700, given by singer Beyoncé.
The financial disclosures provide limited insight into each justice’s overall wealth. Each associate justice earns $298,500 annually, while Chief Justice John Roberts takes home $312,200. However, they are not required to report the value of their homes or their spouses’ salaries.
Alito and Justice Clarence Thomas have recently faced scrutiny over ethics issues involving undisclosed gifts and their perceived biases in cases related to former President Donald Trump and the 2020 election. Notably, Alito faced criticism for a luxury fishing trip funded by Republican donors during 2008, which he claimed didn’t require disclosure due to prior exemptions.
Alito also opted against recusing himself from election-related cases, despite controversies surrounding flags flown at his homes—one being an upside-down American flag before President Biden’s inauguration. He stated it was his wife’s choice to display the flags and insisted that the situations did not warrant recusal under current guidelines.
In defense, Thomas has argued that gifts he accepted from billionaire Harlan Crow were not subject to reporting requirements, and he sought guidance to ensure compliance with disclosure rules.
In June, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposed articles of impeachment against both justices due to ethical issues, but such efforts are unlikely to gain traction in the Republican-majority House.
Amid these discussions, President Biden is advocating for a robust code of conduct that would enforce gift disclosures, limit justices’ political involvement, and mandate recusal in cases where potential conflicts exist.
Reporting by The Associated Press contributed to this article.