Revealed: Texas billionaire had at least one case before the Supreme Court — despite Thomas’ claim

Harlan Crow, the Texas billionaire who showered U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with lavish gifts and even purchased the justice’s elderly mother’s home in 2014, had at least one case before the Supreme Court, Bloomberg reports.

According to Bloomberg, in January 2005, the Crow family had a “ non-controlling interest” in a commercial real estate development company that was sued by an architecture firm for more than $25 million “for allegedly misusing copyrighted building designs.” The Court declined to hear an appeal from that architecture firm — a decision Thomas did not recuse himself from.

Per Bloomberg, at the time of the Court’s decision, “Thomas had already reported a 1997 private flight and high-dollar gifts from Crow, both documented in a December 2004 report from the Los Angeles Times. The justice had described Crow and his wife Kathy as ‘personal friends.’”

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As Bloomberg reports, Trammell Crow Residential, the commercial real estate development company that was sued by the architecture firm, was founded by Crow’s father in 1977. Crow’s office told Bloomberg that “Crow Holdings, a privately owned development and investment firm that manages the Crow family’s capital, held less than a 50% stake in Trammell Crow Residential, and wasn’t involved in its operations” as the case moved through the courts.

In 2005, when the case reached the Supreme Court, “Harlan Crow was Crow Holdings’ chief executive officer and chair of its board, a position he still holds,” Bloomberg reports.

In a statement to the publication, Crow’s office maintained “neither Harlan Crow nor Crow Holdings had knowledge of or involvement in this case.”

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“Harlan Crow has never discussed this or any other case with any justice,” Crow’s office said.

The report follows a bombshell April. 6 revelation by ProPublica, which uncovered nearly two decades worth of lavish, undisclosed trips gifted to Thomas by Crow. In a statement released on April 7, Thomas claimed he “sought guidance from [his] colleagues and others in the judiciary, and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable.” (Emphasis ours).

The development is sure to level up the scrutiny Clarence is receiving regarding his dealings with Crow. On Monday, Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) asked the Texas billionaire for a complete list of gifts he’s given to Thomas.

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“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,” Wyden wrote.

Read the full report at Bloomberg (subscription required).