By An investigation conducted by Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats has uncovered that billionaire political donor Harlan Crow provided Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with at least three previously undisclosed private jet trips in recent years. The flights, which were detailed by Crow’s lawyer in response to inquiries from the committee, transported the justice to destinations including the region near Glacier National Park in Montana and Thomas’ hometown in Georgia.
The committee’s investigation was launched in response to ProPublica’s reporting last year, which revealed numerous undisclosed gifts Crow had provided to Thomas, such as private school tuition for a relative and an annual luxury vacation spanning more than two decades. Although Democrats on the committee authorized a subpoena for information from Crow last November, it was not issued, and the new information was obtained through negotiations between the Senate and Crow’s attorneys.
Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the panel’s chair, stated that a report detailing the full findings of the committee Democrats’ investigation would be released later in the summer. Durbin emphasized that the newly discovered gifts make it “crystal clear that the highest court needs an enforceable code of conduct.”
Crow’s office released a statement indicating that he had provided the senators with information covering the past seven years and that the committee had agreed to end its probe concerning Crow. The statement also noted that despite Crow’s concerns about the legality and necessity of the inquiry, he engaged in good faith with the committee.
The newly revealed flights further highlight Thomas’ frequent use of Crow’s jet for personal travel, allowing the justice to fly in the same manner as the ultrawealthy. Crow owns a high-end Bombardier Global 5000, a jet that can cost over $10,000 per flight hour to charter.
The details released by the Senate do not specify the purpose of the trips, only listing flight dates and locations. These include a May 2017 trip from St. Louis to Kalispell, Montana, and a return flight from Montana to Dallas two days later, coinciding with Thomas’ scheduled speech to a local bar association in St. Louis. Other trips include a same-day round trip from the East Coast to San Jose, California, on June 29, 2021, and a round-trip flight from Washington, D.C., to Savannah, Georgia, on March 23, 2019.
ProPublica could not immediately find evidence of Thomas making public appearances in Montana, Georgia, or California on the dates in question.
The relationship between Crow and Thomas began in 1996 when Crow offered to fly the justice to Dallas for a speech, and they hit it off while in the air. Since then, Crow has flown Thomas to destinations around the world.
As the Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats’ investigation continues, the public awaits the release of the full report, which is expected to provide further insight into the extent of the ethical lapses by Supreme Court justices and the need for an enforceable code of conduct.
Credit: Propublica
