Donor paid for Clarence Thomas’s grandnephew’s schooling: report

HODA? >> ALL RIGHT, STEPHANIE GOSK FOR US, THANK YOU. >>> ALSO THIS MORNING, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS IS FACING CONTROVERSY ONCE AGAIN OVER MORE POSSIBLE ETHICS VIOLATIONS. A NEW REPORT FROM PROPUBLICA ALLEGES A BILLIONAIRE REPUBLICAN DONOR PAID FOR THOMAS' GRAND NEPHEW'S PRIVATE SCHOOL. THE NEWS ORGANIZATION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THAT THE SAME MAN, HARLAN CROW, ALSO TOOK THE THOMAS FAMILY ON LAVISH VACATIONS. LET'S BRING IN NBC'S SENIOR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT, LAURA JARRETT. SO, LAURA, WHAT MORE DO WE KNOW ABOUT THESE NEW ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CLARENCE THOMAS? >> SO, ACCORDING TO THIS NEW REPORT, HE, HARLAN CROW, THIS WEALTHY REPUBLICAN DONOR IS MAKING A SERIES OF TUITION PAYMENTS FOR THOMAS' GRAND-NEPHEW, WHO THOMAS WAS RAISING AS A SON. WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT ACCORDING TO PROPUBLICA, IT COULD HAVE BEEN TO THE TUNE OF $150,000. NOW, GENERALLY, JUSTICES ARE SUPPOSED TO DISCLOSE ALL FINANCIAL TIES AND GIFTS, ESPECIALLY EXPENSIVE ONES LIKE THIS, BUT ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT, THOMAS DID NOT DISCLOSE THESE GIFTS FROM CROW. HOWEVER, THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF THIS, GUYS, HE DID DISCLOSE AT LEAST ONE TUITION PAYMENT THAT SOMEONE ELSE -- A SEPARATE PAYMENT THAT SOMEONE ELSE MADE FOR THIS SAME GRAND-NEPHEW. THE QUESTION IS, WHY DEPARTMENT HE DISCLOSE THIS ONE FROM CROW? >> HE'S BASICALLY SAYING, HE KNEW HE SHOULD DISCLOSE SOME THINGS, SO WHY THAT ONE AND NOT THIS ONE. IS HE SAYING ANYTHING? IS HARLAN SAYING ANYTHING? >> THE JUSTICE HAS NOT SAID ANYTHING. THE COURT HAS NOT SAID ANYTHING. I REACHED OUT. CROW ACTUALLY DID PUT OUT A STATEMENT, ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT HE'S BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION ISSUES, THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, GIVING BACK TO THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. HE BASICALLY CALLED THIS A POLITICAL HIT JOB. HE'S BEEN CRITICAL OF PROPUBLICA'S REPORTING ON HE AND THOMAS' RELATIONSHIP IN THE PAST. IN THE PAST, THOMAS HAS SAID HE RELIED ON OTHERS FOR ADVICE ON WHAT HE SHOULD DISCLOSE OR NOT. UNCLEAR IF HE'LL SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS LATEST REPORT. BUT THE LARGER CONTEXT HERE IS THAT THIS IS A SERIES OF GIFTS MADE FROM THE SAME MAN. AND SUPREME COURT JUSTICES DO NOT HAVE AN ETHICS CODE. THIS IS WHY YOU HEAR THIS CLAMORING FOR THEM TO BE TREATED JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER FEDERAL JUDGE. >> ANY RECOURSE? >> NO. RECOURSE IS IMPEACHMENT, WHICH THEY DO NO HAVE THE VOTES

Channel: TODAY

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Id: r4kiB9xC6RM

Length: 2min 33sec (153 seconds)

Published: Thu May 04 2023