Critics are pushing back against a ProPublica report criticizing Justice Clarence Thomas for two unreported speaking engagements with a Koch philanthropy group, saying claims of illegality or unethical behavior are ‘false’ that don’t ‘hold water.’

On Friday, ProPublica — which purports to be an independent, non-partisan outlet but has received donations from left-leaning entities — published the latest in a series criticizing Justice Thomas for allegedly violating Supreme Court ethics, which Thomas has denied. 

The Friday report claimed he "secretly" spoke at donor events for a political organization founded by libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch "at least twice over the years." But the group, called Stand Together, says the report "doesn’t hold water." 

"Journalistic inquiry into the private dealings of public officials is essential for our democracy. But honest inquiry applies the same standard to all people rather than single out those with whom one disagrees," Gretchen Reiter, senior vice president of communications at Stand Together, told Fox News Digital.