So let's get this straight Clarence Thomas went to Russia, in secret, with Harlan Crow. The trip included helicopter ride to a palace in St. Petersburg. This is the first known yacht trip. Let's examine implications
First, a rich American with a #SCOTUS justice doesn't just show up unannounced, fly a helicopter into St. Petersburg. That shxt requires advanced notice and clearance AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, so at minimum Putin and the Kremlin spy and kompromat operatives knew about this.
The Kremlin would also know that Thomas failed to disclose the trip on mandatory reports - so they knew in 2003 that Thomas could be bribed & was willing to lie to the US government. They knew in 2003 they had leverage over a SCOTUS justice.
I also find it impossible that US intelligence services did not also know about this in real time. George Bush & George waterboard Tenet CIA DIR must have known Thomas was in Russia on a bribe/junket. They kept his secret, too. Russia knew it had leverage there, too.