Senate Democrats reveal additional trips Justice Thomas took with Harlan Crow

Crow said he agreed to the disclosure as part of a deal that would end the committee's investigation into him. In exchange for the closing of the investigation, Crow supplied the committee with seven years worth of information related to the trips and his relationship with Thomas.

By Misty Severi

Published: June 13, 2024 5:46pm

Updated: June 13, 2024 6:20pm

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday released additional luxury trips that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas reportedly took with billionaire Harlan Crow, including trips on Crow's private jet to Montana and California.

The disclosures come after Thomas revealed last week that two trips from 2019 were “inadvertently omitted” from disclosure forms. Thomas has described Crow as a long-time "family friend" and previously claimed he was told that "personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the court, was not reportable."

The new documents on the additional trips come from a November subpoena issued to Crow, which revealed three additional trips. The most recent trip was in 2021, when Crow flew Thomas between Washington, D.C., and San Jose, California, according to Politico. The other trips were between St. Louis; Kalispell, Montana; and Dallas in May of 2017, and flights between Washington D.C. and Savannah, Georgia in March of 2019.

"As a result of our investigation and subpoena authorization, we are providing the American public greater clarity on the extent of ethical lapses by Supreme Court justices and the need for ethics reform," Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin said in a statement.

Crow said he agreed to the disclosure as part of a deal that would end the committee's investigation into him.

“Mr. Crow reached an agreement with the Senate Judiciary Committee to provide information responsive to its requests going back seven years," Crow's office told Just the News. “Despite his serious and continued concerns about the legality and necessity of the inquiry, Mr. Crow engaged in good faith negotiations with the Committee from the beginning to resolve the matter. As a condition of this agreement, the Committee agreed to end its probe with respect to Mr. Crow."

The disclosures come after Senate Democrats pushed for the high court to adopt a more formal "code of conduct," after several ethical scandals recently plagued the court. Justice Samuel Alito has come under scrutiny lately after two flags that appeared to support former President Donald Trump were spotted flying outside of two of his homes.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.