Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson discloses $1,200 floral present from Oprah, $6,500 in designer garments

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson obtained greater than $8,300 in presents throughout her first time period on the Supreme Court, she reported in her monetary disclosure kinds.

The kinds, launched Wednesday, present no different justice — not less than, as of but — disclosed presents obtained for the 2022 monetary disclosure interval.

Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. got extensions on submitting their monetary disclosures at a time when Justice Thomas has come beneath scrutiny for a friendship with GOP mega-donor Harlan Crow.

Justice Jackson famous she was gifted greater than $6,500 in designer garments from her Vogue Magazine picture shoot for the September 2022 subject, through which she was photographed close to the Lincoln Memorial.

She additionally disclosed she was despatched a $1,200 floral association from Oprah Winfrey. There was additionally a portray value practically $600 listed beneath her present disclosures.

Court watchers are break up on whether or not the presents are uncommon for a first-term justice.

Gabe Roth, govt director of Fix the Court, mentioned Justice Sonia Sotomayor obtained paintings and a present certificates for a spa, amongst different presents throughout her first time period.

The whole was round $4,400 — just a few thousand {dollars} decrease than what Justice Jackson obtained.

But Josh Blackman, a professor at South Texas College of Law, famous that when Justice Amy Coney Barrett took the bench in 2020, she was not gifted designer clothes from {a magazine} unfold. Instead, the journal wrote about Justice Barrett in an article titled: “Does Amy Coney Barrett Believe Life Begins at Fertilization?”

Mr. Blackman mentioned the picture of the justice that accompanied the article was not essentially the most flattering.

“Jackson’s gifts are a bit unusual, as she has been given the royal treatment,” Mr. Blackman instructed The Washington Times.

Justice Jackson is the primary Black feminine to serve on the excessive court docket. She was sworn in final July after Justice Stephen G. Breyer retired.

Justice Sotomayor and Justice Neil M. Gorsuch have been the one justices to reveal ebook royalties on their kinds, although Justice Sotomayor was paid practically $150,000 from her books offers whereas Justice Gorsuch solely raked in a pair hundred bucks.

“Sotomayor’s three line items for royalties this year are for two kids books that are quite popular, and for which she didn’t receive large advances, so it appears the deal was more heavily weighted toward sales vs. royalties, and they’re for her autobiography, which for some reason is still selling pretty well,” Mr. Roth mentioned.

Justice Thomas has come beneath intense scrutiny over presents. ProPublica reported that Mr. Crow paid personal faculty tuition at Hidden Lake Academy and Randolph-Macon Academy for Justice Thomas’ great-nephew, whom the justice took in to boost at age 6.

The tuition whole might have price greater than $150,000, in accordance with ProPublica. Justice Thomas didn’t disclose the funds in his monetary disclosure kinds, and the information outlet advised that runs afoul of moral requirements required of a federal choose.

ProPublica additionally reported in April that Justice Thomas didn’t disclose that he took a number of luxurious holidays with Mr. Crow all through their friendship, or that Mr. Crow bought the house of Justice Thomas’ mom, regardless that she continued to reside there.