Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas sold property to GOP donor Harlan Crow, ProPublica reported.
After the purchase, in 2014, Crow paid for $36,000 in improvements to the property.
Neighbors said Thomas's 94-year-old mother still lives at the home in Savannah, Georgia.
Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Under federal law, an employee of the government, including the Supreme Court, is supposed to report any real estate transaction worth more than a thousand dollars.
But when Justice Clarence Thomas and his family sold his childhood home in 2014, the sale never appeared on a disclosure form, ProPublica reported on Thursday, nor did he reveal the identity of the buyer: Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow.
Citing a state tax filing and a deed to the property — a home and two nearby vacant lots in Savannah, Georgia — ProPublica said the transaction netted $133,363 for Thomas, his mother, and his now-deceased brother.
Neighbors who spoke to the outlet said the home, where Thomas spent part of his youth, is still occupied by the justice's 94-year-old mother. It is also in much better condition than before the sale, with Crow having invested $36,000 in improvements, ProPublica reported.
In a statement, Crow told ProPublica that he intends to turn the property into a museum dedicated to Thomas. He did not say whether he's charging the justice's mother any rent.
Liberal critics of the justice have pounced on the news, which comes after leading Democrats urged Chief Justice John Roberts to open an investigation following an earlier report about Thomas receiving free travel from Crown valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"One thing is crystal clear: this is corruption at the highest levels, and it can't be accepted," Kyle Herrig, president of the watchdog group Accountable.US, said in a statement. "Justice Thomas must be held accountable."
A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Have a news tip? Email this reporter: [email protected]
manydirtywords on April 13rd, 2023 at 21:19 UTC »
Justice Thomas is at this point an employee of Crow
theoldgreenwalrus on April 13rd, 2023 at 21:18 UTC »
His Mom still lives there? This is sounding more and more like some sketchy money laundering scheme
Backbeatking on April 13rd, 2023 at 21:16 UTC »
I wonder if she's paid rent since Crow bought the house and renovated it in 2014.