Committee seeks list of GOP donor's gifts to Justice Clarence Thomas

April 24 (UPI) -- The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee on Monday requested a list of gifts Harlan Crow has given to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas over the years, and proof that he complied with federal tax law.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is looking for detailed records of all the luxury trips Crow provided for Thomas, including the costs of chartering his private jet and superyacht, and whether he wrote off any expenses as business deductions for tax purposes.

In his letter to Crow, Wyden said public reports indicate that Thomas has accepted gifts from Crow "virtually every year" since being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1991.

"This unprecedented arrangement between a wealthy benefactor and a Supreme Court justice raises serious concerns related to federal tax and ethics laws," Wyden wrote.

"Though the full extent of your largesse to Justice Thomas remains unknown, public reporting indicates that virtually every year since joining the Supreme Court, Justice Thomas accepted free flights aboard your private jet and accommodations aboard your 162-foot superyacht, the Michaela Rose."

The Senate Judiciary Committee is concerned after revelations that Thomas accepted undisclosed, lavish gifts from a wealthy Republican donor, which were reported by ProPublica earlier this month.

The committee invited Chief Justice John Roberts to testify about the court's ethics rules, and the potential for ethics reform rules on May 2. Roberts has not confirmed that he will appear.

Thomas and his wife allegedly accepted luxury trips from the Crow, a Dallas real estate mogul, for years without disclosing the gifts. According to Wyden, chartering a yacht like Crow's can cost as much as $245,000 or more.

The salary for an associate justice is $285,400 this year, according to the U.S. Court system.

"The secrecy surrounding your dealings with Justice Thomas is simply unacceptable," Wyden wrote. "The American public deserves a full accounting of the full extent of your largesse towards Justice Thomas, including whether these gifts complied with all relevant federal tax and ethics laws."