Harlan Crow refuses Senate Dems’ request for Clarence Thomas’ gift list.

Billionaire Harlan Crow Refuses to Disclose Gifts to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

Billionaire Harlan Crow has reportedly denied a request from the Senate Finance Committee to provide an itemized list of gifts he has given to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, thwarting Democrats’ efforts to investigate the standard of ethics surrounding the high court.

Committee Chairman Receives “Obstructive Letter” from Crow’s Lawyer

Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) received what he described as an “obstructive letter” from Crow’s lawyer on Monday night that declined to answer a series of questions surrounding the billionaire’s financial relationship with Thomas, according to Politico. Wyden initially sent the letter on April 24 after it was reported that Thomas failed to disclose several luxury vacations that were paid for by Crow.

Democratic Senator Calls on Harlan Crow to Reveal Gifts to Clarence Thomas

“As an initial matter, however, we have serious concerns about the scope of and authority for this inquiry,” Michael Bopp, an attorney for Crow, wrote to Wyden. “As you are aware, the Committee’s powers to investigate are not unlimited. Indeed, the Committee must have a legitimate legislative purpose for any inquiry, and the scope of the inquiry must be reasonably related to that purpose.”

The financial committee is expected to respond to Crow’s denial sometime this week, although it’s unclear what next steps Wyden will take. The committee chairman has previously suggested he would “explore using other tools at the committee’s disposal,” which could include a subpoena.

Crow’s Refusal to Cooperate is Unrelated to a Separate Request

Crow’s refusal to cooperate with the Senate Finance Committee is unrelated to a separate request from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that similarly sought an itemized list of all gifts he has given to Thomas, as well as any other justice or justice’s family member, that is worth more than $415. Current rules require justices to disclose all gifts that exceed $415, but the standards around gifts such as travel or lodging remain unclear.

Thomas Defends Relationship, Acknowledges New Ethics Standards

Thomas has repeatedly defended the relationship, noting he was previously advised he did not need to report the travel or gifts in question. The Judicial Conference recently updated guidelines to require justices and other federal judges to report the gifts in more detail, including things such as rides on private jets or free stays at a hotel. The justice acknowledged the new ethics standards for judges and said he would follow the updated guidance.

• Committee Chairman Ron Wyden received an “obstructive letter” from Crow’s lawyer that declined to answer questions about Crow’s financial relationship with Thomas.
• Crow’s refusal to cooperate is unrelated to a separate request from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Thomas has defended the relationship and acknowledged the new ethics standards for judges.

It remains to be seen what the Senate Finance Committee will do next in response to Crow’s refusal to disclose the gifts he has given to Justice Thomas. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.