According to a report by Bloomberg, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who previously held that Harlan Crow, his billionaire real estate baron friend never had any business before the court, did not recuse himself from a 2004 appeals case involving Crow.
Earlier this month, ProPublica dropped a bombshell story giving details of lavish gifts accepted by Justice Thomas and his wife, in the shape of luxury vacations paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. These vacations, spanning over more than a decade, included all expenses paid for trips to various venues around the world, and to ranches and resorts in the United States, owned by Crow.
The Justice also sold his childhood home to Harlan Crow’s company and did not disclose the sale.
Justice Thomas rebuffed these accusations saying that Crow is a family friend and that his “friend” never had any business before the court. He also added that his financial advisors told him he was not obligated to declare the gift received from friends.
In 2004, Harlan Crow’s real estate company faced a $25 million copyrights claim from an architectural firm. The Supreme Court denied the petitioner’s claim and ruled in favor of Trammel Crow Residential, a subsidiary of Harlan Crown.
