Head of the Senate investigation team Clarence Thomas The Supreme Court judge did not disclose the additional private jet travel, he said Monday.
One letter to the lawyer for conservative megadonor Harlan Crow, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., flight records show that in 2010, Thomas and his wife traveled from Hawaii to New Zealand on Crow’s private jet.
Wyden, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, said the finding heightened concerns that Crowe was engaged in a tax evasion scheme.
“I am deeply concerned that Mr. Crow showered a public official with extravagant gifts and then wrote those gifts off to reduce his tax liability,” Wyden wrote.
The letter, which also cited reports of Thomas’ travel to Greece, the Caribbean, Russia and the Baltic states, is the latest in a series of allegations by Senate Democrats about Thomas’ undisclosed travels. Senate Judiciary Committee released the notes It shows others in June undisclosed trips.
In a statement Monday, Crow’s office accused Wyden of “abusing” his staff’s authority in what it called a political campaign against the Supreme Court. Crow’s office added that its attorneys “have already addressed Sen. Wyden’s requests, which have no legal basis and are only intended to harass a private citizen.”
“Mr. Crow and his businesses are in good standing with the IRS. He has always complied with applicable tax law, as advised by the national accounting firms that serve as his tax advisors,” his office said.
An attorney for Thomas and a spokeswoman for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.
Thomas received a couple of visits In its June 2019 annual financial disclosure report with Crow.
Justice updated disclosure rules to clarify that private jet travel must be reported.
Thomas’ attorney, Elliot S. Berke, said in June that the Judicial Conference provision allowed the personal hospitality exemption and that Thomas was “in full compliance with the new disclosure requirement.”
It fell under the Supreme Court increasing internal and external pressure to develop an enforceable code of ethics for justices. President Joe Biden, while conservative, has recently supported changes to term limits and ethics for justices. Justice Neil Gorsuch He warned that “care should be taken” with the changes supported by Biden.