Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden Demands Harlan Crow Provide Evidence of Compliance with Federal Tax Law Regarding Luxury Gifts to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

A top Senate Democrat has requested that Harlan Crow, a Texas billionaire who has donated millions to conservative causes, provide details about the luxury gifts he gave Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas over their decades-long friendship.

On Monday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent Crow a letter asking for evidence that the gifts complied with federal tax law, a month after ProPublica published its bombshell investigation into their lucrative friendship.

The request comes after Chief Justice John Roberts wrote a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee in response to a request from Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) for Roberts to testify about Thomas’s relationship with Crow. Roberts stated that while testimony from the Chief Justice of the United States is rare, he included a statement of ethics principles and practices “to which all of the current Members of the Supreme Court subscribe.”

The ProPublica investigation revealed that Crow had given Thomas and his wife, Virginia, more than $1 million in gifts over the years, including a $15,000 Bible, a $19,000 antique desk, and a $500,000 painting. The gifts may have violated federal tax law, which requires that gifts be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

Wyden’s letter to Crow requests documents and communications related to the gifts, as well as any records of payments made to Thomas or his wife. Wyden also asked for any documents related to the gifts’ compliance with federal tax law.

The Senate Finance Committee is now investigating whether Thomas and Crow violated federal tax law. It is unclear at this time when the investigation will be completed.