The relationship between Justice Clarence Thomas and his billionaire benefactor, Harlan Crow, has been the subject of endless speculation. Why did this megadonor provide countless gifts and trips to Thomas and his family members, and more importantly, why did Thomas not disclose it?
Crow and Thomas have provided statements about their relationship, but up until now, neither of them have testified about their financial dealings. However, that could be about to change.
Senate Democrats are voting on whether to subpoena Crow, as well as other wealthy Republican benefactors such as Leonard Leo, head of the conservative legal group the Federalist Society, and mortgage company owner Robin Arkley I, about gifts provided to members of the Supreme Court.
“By accepting these lavish, undisclosed gifts, the justices have enabled their wealthy benefactors and other individuals with business before the Court to gain private access to the justices while preventing public scrutiny of this conduct,” wrote Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Dick Durbin and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), in a statement. “In order to adequately address this crisis, it is imperative that we understand the full extent of how people with interests before the Court are able to use undisclosed gifts to gain private access to the justices.”
Although Crow and Thomas’ relationship will certainly be the headliner of this hearing, it’s certainly not the only subject that will be brought up. Earlier this summer, it was revealed that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito went on a luxury fishing trip organized and funded by several Republican billionaires, including Hedge Fund billionaire Paul Singer, Arkley, and Leo.
Leo and Crow both put out statements after the vote was announced denouncing Senate Democrats. “It’s clear this is nothing more than a stunt aimed at undermining a sitting Supreme Court Justice for ideological and political purposes,” wrote Crow’s office. Leo called the efforts to subpoena him “liberal McCarthyism.” Neither seem likely to go quietly to the Senate Judiciary podium.
It’s worth noting that there’s one minor political scandal that seems unlikely to come up at the hearing. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Crow donated the maximum allowed contribution to Independent Presidential Cornell West.
West later returned the money and made a post connecting the issue to Israel and Palestine. “How sad that perceptions so quickly triumph over truth in our decadent culture,” West wrote in a post on X. “This holds in our major catastrophe in the Middle East where the rich humanity of Palestinians is rendered invisible. It also holds at home in the minor scandal about Harlan Crow’s donation to my campaign.”
Assuming the subpoena is effective, we could be learning a lot more about Crow and his relationship with those in power.