ProPublica is out with another report about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas benefiting financially from his friendship with billionaire real estate mogul and Republican donor Harlan Crow. The report stated the justice did not report his sale of property to Crow.
The report cited deed and state tax documents which showed Thomas, his mother and the family of Thomas’ late brother sold family property in Savannah, Georgia, to Crow for $133,363 in 2014. According to ProPublica, Thomas’ mother still lived in the property at the time and Crow did tens of thousands of dollars worth of renovations.
Thomas did not list this sale on his annual financial disclosure. Ethics experts said the omission may violate federal law that requires Supreme Court justices to disclose most real estate sales of over $1,000.
Crow said in a statement that he approached the Thomas family about the sale.
“My intention is to one day create a public museum at the Thomas home dedicated to telling the story of our nation’s second Black Supreme Court Justice,” Crow said.
Justice Thomas did not comment on the report.
On April 6, ProPublica published another story that revealed Thomas has accepted vacations paid for by Crow, including travel on his private jet and yacht. Thomas didn’t disclose that either, aut a rule for reporting that type of personal hospitality didn’t take effect until March of 2023 and Thomas said he will comply.
“Early in my tenure at the Court, I sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary, and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable,” Thomas said in a statement.
The revelation about the vacations led to calls to investigate and even impeach Thomas. Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said his committee will take action.
