Justice Thomas Amends Disclosure Forms to Report Travel Paid by Billionaire Harlan Crow

Now the Senate Finance Committee is Investigating whether Crow and his Father Properly took $8 Million in Net Operating Losses on the Yacht.

ProPublica initially reported and the New York Times, Washington Post and the Guardian all reported that Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court filed amended financial disclosure statements for 2019 in which he confirmed, for the first time, that he and his wife, Ginny, a far-right activist, enjoyed “hospitality” provided by Billionaire Harlan Crow. Justice Thomas disclosed and confirmed that they flew on Harlan Crow’s private jet to Indonesia and then spent more than a week island hopping on Crow’s 156-foot Superyacht among the various Indonesian islands. ProPublica estimated that the value of the private jet and Superyacht travel at $500,000.

Justice Thomas also reported a private jet trip in 2019 to Bohemian Grove an all-male gathering location for the superrich in northern, California for an exclusive retreat and discussion with very rich members, including his travel benefactor, Harlan Crow.

Justice Thomas also filed a report on his 2022 trip to Harlan Crow’s estate in the Adirondacks in New York, where Crow again provided a private jet, meals, entertainment and lodging at his property in Keese Mill, New York. Thomas listed that “hospitality” under “Reimbursements” and not “Gifts” even though he states he received no reimbursement. Justice Thomas claimed in a note to the 2022 financial report that the practice of listing this as Reimbursement and not Gifts was based on new Guidance by the 2023 Judicial Conference and “advice from the staff of the Judicial Conference Financial Disclosure Committee.” That “advice” was dubious at best suggesting a misidentification as the true nature of the travel “hospitality.”

The disclosure of the Superyacht trips has resulted in the Senate Finance Committee raising questions whether Crow and his father properly took business deductions on the Superyacht, resulting from their claim of nearly $8 million in net losses from 2003 to 2015 which may be used to offset income.

As ProPubica noted, yacht owners who lease out their ships through chartering may be able to take operating losses against income. But Crow’s Superyacht, the Michela Rose, is registered in the U.K. as a “pleasure yacht.” The Senate Finance Committee is conducting an investigation of Crow’s taking net operating losses for the Michela Rose when it is not licensed as a commercial ship and not licensed to be chartered out for transportation of passengers for hire. Crow filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office to register the name “Michela Rose” as a trademark, and in that application he again said the yacht was used for commercial purposes just as he told IRS.

Senator Wyden is leading the investigation whether the Net Losses were properly taken by Crow and his father to reduce their income. See ProPublica article from February 4, 2024.