Harlan Crow Bought A House From Clarence Thomas’s Mother

Source: Thomas S England / Getty

A new report revealed that Harlan Crow bought a home from Clarence Thomas’ mother in a real estate deal the Supreme Court Justice never disclosed.

On Thursday (April 13th), a new report unveiled damning facts about a real estate deal where a company linked to the Republican billionaire purchased several homes in Savannah, Georgia for $133,363. The properties were previously co-owned by Thomas and his family and included his mother Leola’s home. The justice never reported the details of the purchase as required by a federal disclosure law that compels justices to report more than $1,000 in real estate sales.

Thomas’ mother, who is 94, still lives in the home which also received an estimated $36,000 in renovations by a locally renowned architect. Her presence was verified by a crew from Slate Magazine who interviewed her there for a documentary. These upgrades included a garage and a new fence and gate. Legal observers noted the disparities in the price paid for the home as opposed to the price paid for other properties on the street – a home and a vacant lot were sold for $40,000.

The firm that bought the properties is linked to Crow’s larger empire, based in Dallas, Texas. The new findings have added to the growing concerns of the observers about the mounting examples of possible conflicts of interest between Thomas and Crow. “Given the role Crow has played in subsidizing the lifestyle of Thomas and his wife, you have to wonder if this was an effort to put cash in their pockets,” one remarked. The news comes after it was learned that Thomas and his wife, Ginni, had been accepting luxury trips from Crow and his family for over twenty years without disclosing them. Thomas would claim that Crow’s “generosity” was “not reportable”.

Thomas has not commented on the new report, but Crow issued a statement declaring that his intent in buying the property was to preserve it as a museum highlighting the legacy and background of the Supreme Court Justice. “I approached the Thomas family about my desire to maintain this historic site so future generations could learn about the inspiring life of one of our greatest Americans,” Crow wrote.