U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas has been offered $1 million a year and a $2.4 million motor coach if he agrees to resign from the nation's highest court.
Comedian John Oliver, host of HBO's Last Week Tonight, made the offer at the end of his show on Sunday and showed off the motor coach he was offering to the Supreme Court's longest-serving member.
Thomas, the most senior member of the Court's conservative majority, has previously faced calls to resign or be impeached amid questions about his relationship with billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow and gifts from other rich acquaintances.
Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021, in Washington, D.C. He has been offered $1 million a year in return for resigning by comedian John Oliver. Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021, in Washington, D.C. He has been offered $1 million a year in return for resigning by comedian John Oliver. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Newsweek has reached out to the Supreme Court via email for comment.
Oliver made the offer to Thomas during the premiere of season 11 of Last Week Tonight and said he had spoken to legal experts who told him that making such an offer was not against the law.
"Clarence Thomas is arguably the most consequential justice on the court right now and he's never really seemed to like the job. He said, 'It's not worth doing for the grief.' So what if he can keep the luxury perks he clearly enjoys without having to endure all of that grief," Oliver said, before revealing what he called "a special offer."
The offer includes "one million dollars a year for the rest of your life if you simply agree to leave the Supreme Court immediately and never come back."
Oliver also produced a contract that the justice would need to sign in order to agree to the deal and Oliver said he was offering the money to Thomas himself.
"HBO is not putting up the money for this. I am personally on the hook. You can make me really regret this. I could be doing standup tours to pay for your retirement for years," he said.
The comedian added Thomas has "exactly 30 days from midnight tonight to make your resignation effective" before the offer expires.
Oliver also included a motor home in the offer. Worth $2.4 million, it comes with a bedroom featuring a king-size bed, a fireplace, what Oliver described as a "residential-size fridge" and other amenities.
The inclusion of a motor home is a reference to questions raised about a 1999 loan provided to Thomas by Anthony Welters, who made his fortune in the healthcare industry, in order for the justice to purchase a Prevost Marathon Le Mirage XL recreational vehicle (RV).
A report from Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee in October said that Thomas had failed to repay of "significant portion" of the $267,230 loan.
Concluding his offer on Sunday, Oliver said: "So that's the offer. A million dollars a year and a brand new condo on wheels and all you have to do in return is sign the contract and get the f*** off the Supreme Court."
The comedian urged Thomas to "talk it over with your totally best friend in the whole world"—a reference to the justice's wife, lawyer and conservative activist Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, who has previously been the focus of scrutiny because of conversations she had with then White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in the weeks following the 2020 election in which she encouraged him to continue efforts to overturn the results.
"The clock starts now. Thirty days, Clarence. Let's do this," Oliver said.
Update 02/19/24 5.55 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include more information.