Senate Democrats are requesting that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow provide a list of donations he has made to sitting Supreme Court justices. The request comes as Justice Clarence Thomas is facing scrutiny over accepting trips and gifts funded by Crow.
Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have sent a letter to Crow asking him to itemize a list of gifts valued over $415 that he has provided to any justice or their family members. This included requests for a full list of real estate transactions, transportation, lodging and admission to private clubs that he might have provided.
The committee’s request comes as they are looking to create legislation to strengthen ethical rules and standards that would apply to justices on the Supreme Court. This ask for a list of donations from Crow is part of a broader effort to increase transparency and accountability on the Supreme Court.
“As part of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing efforts to craft legislation strengthening the ethical rules and standards that apply to the Justices of the Supreme Court, we request that you provide the Committee with certain information by May 22, 2023,” the group of lawmakers wrote. “This information will help identify specific shortcomings in the ‘Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices,’ as well as current law, that legislation needs to address.”
A ProPublica report in April alleged Thomas failed to properly disclose trips and gifts paid for by Crow, as well as the sale of Thomas’ and his relatives’ properties to Crow. Thomas said he was advised these things did not have to be reported in disclosures because they constituted of “personal hospitality from close personal friends.”
“This is way outside the norm. This is way in excess of anything I’ve seen,” said Richard Painter, former chief White House ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, of the gifts Thomas received from Crow.
Meanwhile, Crow responded to questions about the appropriateness of his transactions with Thomas as being misconstrued into something “nefarious or political” by individuals with “partisan political interests.”
