A key Democratic senator is scrutinizing a Republican megadonor who financed luxury travel taken by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a real estate transaction with his family
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden is asking the Texas billionaire Harlan Crow to produce details about trips that Thomas took on his private plane and his superyacht over the last several years, including the cost of the travel and whether Thomas paid reimbursements for the trips. In a letter to Crow, Wyden raised the possibility that the hospitality may have required disclosure on federal tax filings, which generally requires taxpayers to report gifts in excess of a certain amount.
“The full factual background has not been made public, but it is possible that you have had gift tax filing obligations and gift tax liability as a consequence of this living arrangement,” Wyden wrote to Crow. “As previously noted, the IRS has made clear that allowing for the use of property without receiving full consideration can be a taxable gift.” Crow’s office said in a statement that, “We look forward to responding to Chairman Wyden’s letter in due course.
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