Today (April 7), Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas broke his silence on reports that he and his enjoyed undisclosed luxury trips paid for by Dallas, Texas businessman Harlan Crow.

In a statement, Clarence shared that his fellow Supreme Court colleagues and others in the federal judiciary advised him that “this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the court, was not reportable,” The Associated Press revealed.

As previously reported, ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom, uncovered that the judge, his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, Harlan, and his wife, Kathy Crow, have enjoyed expensive trips together for over 20 years.

Clarence and Ginni have even boarded Harlan’s yacht and private jet. They also stayed at his private resort in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. But, according to his statement, the 74-year-old judge said those were trips “among our dearest friends.” However, Supreme Court judges are required to do a yearly financial disclosure report. In it, they are to list gifts they have received. But it does allow exemptions for hospitality from friends, the outlet noted.

Yesterday (April 6), Harlan stood by the judge as he admitted to the luxury trips while affirming that Clarence nor his wife asked it of him. After hearing his statement, Stephen Gillers, an authority on legal ethics, sent an email expressing his thoughts on Clarence’s response.

“[Clarence] is shamelessly seeking to shift the blame for his failure to report Crow’s princely hospitality to [the] advice he allegedly received from other justices when he joined the court more than 30 years ago,” he wrote. “Most of them are now dead and, conveniently, cannot contradict him.”

Clarence is currently the longest-serving member of SCOTUS. He stated that he has always tried to adhere to the disclosure guidelines. And with the recent changes, he said, “It is, of course, my intent to follow this guidance in the future.”