n the beginning, Thomas, Alito, and their defenders tried to tell us that it was, basically, a nothingburger. “Not enough cash value to report”, they tried to say. And, within what we knew then, they had a point, with there being very little regarding ethical standards the Court is forced to follow.
And yet, even then, a few of us tried to interject, “But it isn’t the individual amounts — it’s the accumulation!” But, as usual, those of us trying to be realistic got ignored.
But as time went on, the numbers and the values of those unreported junkets accumulated until eventually we all realized that yes, it was the accumulated amounts that make your jaw drop. But then, other news got in the way, the news cycles moved on, and I’m sure, Thomas and his “friends” heaved a sigh of (temporary, hopefully) relief.