-
Judge Clarence Thomas has made several trips in recent years with GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.
-
Democrats released new documents last week showing that Thomas failed to disclose three additional trips.
-
Here is a list of the trips Thomas and Crow have taken together – as far as we know.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is again facing renewed scrutiny amid details of secret trips he took with GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee last week released documents showing that Thomas failed to disclose three trips he took aboard Crow’s private jet in 2017, 2019 and 2021. According to Senator Dick Durbin, the flights were donated to Thomas.
Thomas also recently amended his 2019 financial disclosure to include two vacations that ProPublica said were paid for by Crow that year to Indonesia and the Bohemian Grove, an exclusive gentlemen’s club in Monte Rio, California. ProPublica first reported on the secret trips last year.
The judge has defended the missing disclosures, saying he was told that disclosing hospitality gifts from people who had no business in court was unnecessary.
Thomas and Crow have been friends for more than thirty years. Both have said they do not discuss politics or legal matters together, but legal experts and lawmakers have raised ethical concerns that Crow could have influence over Thomas, a sitting member of the nation’s most powerful court.
Michael Zona, a spokesman for Crow, told BI that the billionaire provided information relevant to Senate Judiciary Committee requests dating back seven years.
“Despite his serious and ongoing concerns about the legality and necessity of the investigation, from the outset, Mr. Crow has engaged in good faith negotiations with the committee to resolve the matter,” the statement said. “As a condition of this agreement, the committee has agreed to terminate the investigation into Mr. Crow.”
An attorney for Thomas, Elliot S. Berke, told Business Insider that the vacation information Crow provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee falls under the “personal hospitality exemption,” meaning it did not have to be disclosed .
“The Judicial Conference changed this provision last year and Judge Thomas has fully complied with the new disclosure requirement,” Berke said.
The Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
May 2017: trip to Montana
On May 7, 2017, Thomas traveled on Crow’s private jet from St. Louis to Kalispell, Montana, a small mountain town known as the gateway to Glacier National Park.
According to documents released by Senate Democrats last week, the Montana excursion is among three previously unknown trips that Thomas did not disclose.
It remains unclear what Thomas was doing in Montana; BI could not identify any public appearance that the justice department made in the state at that time.
On May 9, 2017, Crow’s plane left Montana for Dallas, where the billionaire lives. Besides the flight on Crow’s plane, it is unclear how much of the trip Crow paid for.
July 2017: Camp Topridge in New York State
ProPublica reported last year that Thomas had vacationed at Crow’s lakeside resort, Camp Topridge, almost every year for the past two decades. The remote property is located in the Adirondacks in upstate New York and is only accessible by invitation from the billionaire himself.
According to the outlet, Topridge guests will be treated to meals prepared by private chefs, guided fishing experiences and private concerts.
During a Topridge trip in July 2017, Thomas and Crow were joined by an array of business leaders and political activists, including major Republican donors and executives from Verizon and PricewaterhouseCoopers, ProPublica reported.
Thomas even appears in a painting hanging at the resort showing the Supreme Court justice in conversation with conservative legal activist Leonard Leo, the outlet reported.
March 2019: Savannah, Georgia
Thomas’ quick tour to his hometown of Savannah, Georgia, was the second secret trip revealed last week. It was not clear what Thomas was doing in Georgia, but relatives, including his mother, still live there.
July 2019: Bali, Indonesia
Thomas and Crow’s 2019 Bali vacation was the focus of ProPublica’s original 2023 report. Although first reported last year, revelation details of the trip to Indonesia are included in recently amended financial disclosure forms and the Judiciary Committee report.
According to ProPublica, Thomas and his wife, Ginni Thomas, spent nine days vacationing with Crow and others as they visited several islands and spent time on the billionaire’s 164-foot superyacht, the Michaela Rose.
July 2019: Bohemian Grove, California
Thomas amended previous entries to include a 2019 vacation he took with Crow to Bohemian Grove, an exclusive, all-male club in Monte Rio, California.
ProPublica previously reported on Thomas’ travels to the gentleman’s retreat. The club’s prestigious alumni include U.S. presidents, military officials, artists and top business leaders.
June 2021: Northern California
On June 29, 2021, Thomas traveled from Washington, D.C., to San Jose, California, aboard Crow’s jet, The Washington Post reported. He returned to DC the same day. The reason for the trip remains unknown.
July 2022: Camp Topridge (again)
On July 7, 2022, Thomas boarded Crow’s plane again to travel to Camp Topridge — possibly for his annual summer vacation at his billionaire friend’s hideout, ProPublica reported last year.
Other suspected trips
ProPublica said Thomas sailed around New Zealand aboard Crow’s superyacht about a decade ago. The outlet reported that the Supreme Court justice also boarded the Michaela Rose for a river cruise around Savannah, Georgia. A photo of Thomas donning an embroidered shirt, referencing a trip through the Greek islands in 2007, suggests the judge may also have holidayed in the Mediterranean.
Thomas has also made frequent use of Crow’s private jet for quick day trips and business trips, according to media reports.
Read the original article on Business Insider
