Thursday's letters: Judicial ethics? Justice Thomas may not understand definition

Lame defense for failing to disclose gifts

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is certainly doing his best to turn “judicial ethics” into an oxymoron with his explanation of why he accepted lavish gifts from a GOP megadonor and failed to disclose them.

Thomas says he sees nothing illegal, or even unethical, in failing to disclose the expensive travel, vacations and gifts he received from Harlan Crow, a friend, over a 20-year period.

He says he contacted members of the judiciary and other unnamed sources and was assured that such conduct was acceptable as long as it came from close, personal friends.

Not unsurprisingly, he doesn’t name his contacts, but I’m highly skeptical he could find any unbiased person. If they knew the entire story, who would offer Thomas such advice?Has Thomas never been curious as to why a billionaire conservative activist would become such a close friend after he became a Supreme Court justice? As to the claim by each that Crow has never had, nor will have, any interests before the court, it fails the smell test.

It’s hard to determine which is the most frightening – the fact that Thomas offers that as a credible defense or the fact that someone so apparently oblivious is sitting on our highest court.

Steve Higgins, Sarasota

Remember good old days with Trump

Those who are now gloating that the “Teflon Don” has been indicted apparently don’t appreciate the fact that when former President Donald Trump was in charge, we had the following:

• $2 per gallon gas.

• Inflation under 2%.

• Lower income taxes.

• Reduced regulations.

• A growing economy and stock market.

• A border wall that kept out deadly drugs and unvetted illegal immigrants.

Trump accomplished all of the above in merely four years, and we also had:

• A strengthened military.

• A full Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

• Energy independence.

• A defeated ISIS.

• No wars.

• An Israeli-Arab trade accord.

• NATO allies contributing millions of additional dollars to the alliance.

• Billions in trade tariffs from China.

When President Joe Biden took over, promising unity and prosperity, he promptly restricted fossil fuel production and refining, hindering manufacturing and shipping of goods. And despite the presence of empty store shelves, Biden spent trillions in new money.

So before Vladimir Putin ever entered Ukraine, gasoline prices had doubled – and inflation had quadrupled.

Biden is now banning mining for the lithium and cobalt that electric vehicle batteries require, making us dependent on China’s lock on the world’s minerals to advance the green fantasy he’s forcing U.S. taxpayers to subsidize. Biden is ceding the ability to use your electric vehicle to the enemy – and he's making you pay for it.

The Chinese Communist Party is the one gloating now.

John A. Lanzetta, Sarasota

Ex-president should be held to account

We just read comments from writers who:

1. Recommended that ex-President Donald Trump, twice impeached, be pardoned for a series of actions that need to be reviewed in detail for possible misdeeds.

2. Suggested that the Herald-Tribune “let up” on negative comments regarding Gov. Ron DeSantis.I would suggest that the writers review in more detail the significance of the potential misdeeds of the ex-president, who seems to have been emboldened to continue in his dubious actions since he has not yet been held accountable (for example, Trump's recent rants against attorneys general, judges and their families could incite violence against them).

I would also suggest that the writers ask DeSantis to initiate a constructive dialogue, instead of continuing to seek ways to punish groups or companies who do not see things the way he does.

Jean Perrault, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Justice's ethics' questionable, life was good under Trump