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☆ Clarence Thomas inspires pizza chain promo deal that made 'every pie on sale, just like' the Supreme Court Justice following report he accepted vacations from GOP donor
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A ProPublica report last week revealed Justice Thomas accepted lavish vacations from a GOP donor. A Washington DC-based pizza chain emailed customers with a reference to Thomas accepting the vacations to promote a sale, Fox reported. The &pizza chain often uses its social media accounts to post memes related to politics and popular culture. "Every pie on sale, Just like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas," it reportedly read. Two weeks prior to their Thomas-themed sale, &pizza Instagram account published a photo of Donald Trump captioned, "Today's weather forecast: Stormy."

☆ GOP senators defend Clarence Thomas' billionaire benefactor's Nazi memorabilia collection: 'Harlan Crow's a terrific person'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The GOP megadonor also keeps Nazi artifacts at his Dallas home, where he's hosted fundraisers. In interviews with Insider at the Capitol on Tuesday, several of them defended the Republican megadonor amid broad scrutiny of his taste in historical artifacts. The Texas senator argued that the media is "deliberately" mischaracterizing the nature of Crow's collection in order to tarnish Justice Thomas' reputation. 'He's not a drug dealer or cocaine trafficker'Crow also collects other historical artifacts, including thousands of documents, books, and historical artifacts pertaining to American history. But when asked about Crow's Nazi memorabilia and dictator sculptures, Ernst said she had "no idea" about it.

☆ AOC says there's an easy solution if Clarence Thomas wants a life of luxury: 'Resign from the court'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez weighed in on Justice Clarence Thomas' undisclosed luxury trips. Public servants who want to live a luxury lifestyle "can resign from the court," she said. Thomas reportedly took undisclosed vacations with a GOP megadonor over the past 20 years. And if they want to live that kind of lifestyle, then they can resign from the court. Host Jordan Klepper asked who she thought would write the opinion if conflicting rulings on the abortion pill mifepristone make it to the Supreme Court.

☆ GOP megadonor Harlan Crow isn't charging Clarence Thomas' mother rent. Zillow estimates suggest that would have saved her $155,000 since 2014.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GOP megadonor Harlan Crow bought SCOTUS justice Clarence Thomas' mother's house in October 2014. Thomas' mother still lives there rent-free, CNN reported. And that deal may have saved her more than $150,000 in rent for the property, according to Zillow estimates. According to Zillow's estimates for what the property would cost to rent, Williams could have saved as much as $154,900 over the years. ProPublica reported that after the sale, renovations equating to thousands of dollars were made to the home, including a repaired roof and a new carport.

☆ One of Florida's wealthiest GOP donors won't finance a DeSantis presidential run because of his book bans, but supports the governor's war with Disney
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Peterffy told the Financial Times he didn't like the governor's stance on abortion or book bans. Peterffy is on board with DeSantis in his battle against Disney, however. Thomas Peterffy told Financial Times that DeSantis' "stance on abortion and book banning" meant that he and "his friends" are no longer planning to give the Republican governor their money. DeSantis signed into law the Stop Woke Act and the Don't Say Gay Act in 2022. DeSantis has not announced a 2024 run for president, but he has continued to tease the possibility.

☆ GOP Megadonor Harlan Crow claims he's the victim of 'a political hit job' after reporting showed he paid for Clarence Thomas' lavish vacations and bought property from him
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GOP megadonor Harlan Crow defended his ties to Justice Clarence Thomas. "I think it's a political hit job," Crow told The Dallas Morning News. "I think it's a political hit job," Crow told Dallas Morning News columnist Cheryl Hall in his largest response to ProPublica's bombshell reports. "I don't think the media cares really much about Harlan Crow, and I think they're right. Engelberg added that the publication reached out to Justice Thomas and Crow with extensive questions about what their reporting uncovered.

☆ Amy Klobuchar, who sits on the Senate judiciary committee, says Clarence Thomas' undisclosed lavish gifts from billionaire GOP donor is 'serious' and callsfor stronger ethics rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose ties to a GOP megadonor, ProPublica reported. Klobuchar called for "ethics rules in the Supreme Court that are clear and enforceable." A ProPublica investigation found that Thomas had taken luxurious vacations with Harlan Crow, a billionaire real estate magnate, and GOP megadonor, among other things. Klobuchar on Sunday said there needs to be "ethics rules in the Supreme Court that are clear and enforceable." Every federal judge in the country comes under these ethics rules.

☆ GOP's early 2024 pickle: Support 1 of 3 minority candidates for president or stick with the aggrieved white guy who could be a convicted felon by Election Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Republican Sen. Tim Scott has inched closer to challenging Donald Trump in 2024. Current polling casts Trump, who is battling multiple investigations, as the odds-on favorite. Market research firm Morning Consult shows both Scott and Ramaswamy polling at only 1%, and Haley polling at 4%. And that's after he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records, charges Trump and his House GOP defenders assert are politically motivated. "Our divisions run deep, and the threat to our future is real," Scott said of the existential crisis at hand.

☆ Clarence Thomas' billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow has also spent thousands boosting Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and an anti-Trump super PAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They include Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, major Senate campaigns, and an anti-Trump PAC. The Texas billionaire also gave $50,000 in 2015 to "Right to Rise," a super PAC associated with Jeb Bush. Senate super PAC spendingIn addition to being a major super PAC spender at the presidential level, Crow has given thousands to outside spending groups supporting the party's Senate candidates over the years. He also gave $50,000 to "Show Me Values PAC," a super PAC set up to prevent the scandal-plagued former Gov. And in 2016, he gave $55,000 to "Let America Work," a super PAC boosting Sen. Ron Johnson against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.

☆ Clarence Thomas' benefactor, the billionaire megadonor Harlan Crow, has a collection of Hitler artifacts and Nazi memorabilia: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Clarence Thomas benefactor Harlan Crow has an art collection that includes Nazi memorabilia, the Washingtonian reported. A bombshell ProPublica report revealed that Thomas had taken undisclosed trips funded by Crow for more than 20 years. "I still can't get over the collection of Nazi memorabilia," an individual who has remained anonymous and who attended an event at Crow's home told the magazine. When the Morning News reporter finally saw the garden of dictator statues, Crow described it as an acknowledgment of the inhumanity that some men have shown to others. The news of Crow's collection comes after a bombshell ProPublica report, which detailed how Thomas has taken luxury vacations funded by the megadonor for more than 20 years without disclosing the excursions.

☆ Meet Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas' vacation pal, GOP megadonor, and billionaire Texas real estate magnate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Texas real estate magnate Harlan Crow provided lavish vacations to Justice Clarence Thomas. Born in 1949 in Dallas, Texas, Crow is a 74-year-old real estate developer and the chairman of Crow Holdings, a Dallas-based real estate development and investment firm that was started by his father, Trammell Crow. Before his death in 2009, Trammell Crow was once one of the nation's most prominent real estate developers and landlords. What's his relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas? He also donated $105,000 to Thomas' alma mater, Yale Law School, for the "Justice Thomas Portrait Fund."

☆ Clarence Thomas claims he was told it was not necessary to publicly report the $500,000 trips he took with GOP mega donor Harlan Crow
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Justice Thomas defended himself after a bombshell report raised questions about his financial disclosures. Thomas said that he had followed guidance by not disclosing lavish trips financed by a GOP megadonor who he considers a close friend. Thomas' explanation comes a day after ProPublica's bombshell report that extensively detailed how Crow secretly finance private trips Thomas took for over 20 years. This appears to conflict with an earlier practice by Thomas, who once did report Crow's gifts. Multiple ethics experts told ProPublica that Thomas had clearly violated ethics requirements by not disclosing the more recent trips.

☆ Clarence Thomas has accepted undisclosed luxury trips from GOP megadonor for decades, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted secret luxury trips from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow for more than two decades in apparent violation of a financial disclosure law, a ProPublica report revealed Thursday. Thomas has vacationed on Crow's 162-foot superyacht, flown on the real estate developer's private jet and spent time at the GOP donor's private resort and other exclusive retreats, ProPublica reported, citing documents and dozens of interviews. Thomas "seems to have completely disregarded his higher ethical obligations," Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at the watchdog group CREW, told the outlet. Spokespeople for the Supreme Court and Crow did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the investigation.

☆ Clarence Thomas said he loves RVs and Walmarts in a documentary financed by the billionaire who was taking him on luxury vacations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas once said in a documentary that he prefers RV parks and Walmarts. A new ProPublica report found Thomas has been taking luxury vacations paid for by a GOP megadonor for years. A Supreme Court spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment by Insider on Thursday. "Justice Thomas and Ginni never asked for any of this hospitality," Crow said. "We have never asked about a pending or lower court case, and Justice Thomas has never discussed one, and we have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue," said Crow.

☆ GOP billionaire who funded Clarence Thomas's vacations has also given thousands of dollars to Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GOP megadonor Harlan Crow has been secretly funding lavish vacations for Justice Clarence Thomas. But he's also given thousands to Democrats who've stymied the party's agenda at various times. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, as well as Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Henry Cuellar. According to federal campaign finance data, the Texas billionaire has given $16,800 to Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey since 2018, contributing thousands as recently as October 2022. For his part, Crow told ProPublica in a statement that he and his wife "have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue."

☆ Clarence Thomas secretly went on lavish vacations in luxury jets and superyachts paid for by a GOP megadonor, report reveals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A ProPublica report found Clarence Thomas has been taking vacations paid for by a GOP megadonor. A Supreme Court spokesperson did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on Thursday. "Justice Thomas and Ginni never asked for any of this hospitality," Crow said. "We have never asked about a pending or lower court case, and Justice Thomas has never discussed one, and we have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue," he added. And unlike the rest of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court is not bound by a code of conduct.

☆ Clarence Thomas slammed from across political spectrum, as former House GOP member says he 'should not be allowed anywhere near a judicial decision'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former GOP House members are slamming Justice Clarence Thomas over his cozy relationship with a billionaire. One of Thomas' fellow conservatives says he "should not be allowed anywhere near a judicial decision." Because Justice Thomas knew it was wrong to accept these secret gifts." Former GOP Virginia House member Denver Riggleman reacted to ProPublica's report on Twitter, saying "Our country is poisoned from within. Another former Republican House member Adam Kinzinger tweeted "Regardless of your politics, this cannot be acceptable."

☆ Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's ties to billionaire George Soros are not as close as Republicans claim
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg moves to bring an expected indictment against Donald Trump, Republicans lawmakers leaping to the former president's defense have fixated on what they call Bragg's ties to billionaire George Soros. There is also no indication the Open Society Policy Center's donation was directed toward an eventual Color of Change campaign to influence Bragg. The funding from Soros' nonprofit was not targeted toward the campaign to support McCarter, the Color of Change official told CNBC. Open Society's website says the group's donation was intended "to support [Color of Change]'s social welfare activities" over the course of five years. Months before Bragg won a 2021 Democratic primary on his way to becoming Manhattan DA, George Soros' son, Jonathan, and his wife, combined to donate $20,000 to Bragg's campaign, state records show.

☆ How Anti-Abortion Activists Bought Access to the Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Katherine Long | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

In exchange for as little as a few thousand dollars in contributions to the nonprofit, these people received easy access to events where Supreme Court justices would be. Supreme Court Historical society trustee Jay Sekulow, center, represented President Trump during the latter's impeachment trial in 2020. Anti-abortion advocates cheer in front of the Supreme Court after the decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores was announced in 2014. Alito did not respond to a request for comment on his involvement in the Supreme Court Historical Society. Supreme Court justices, though, aren't even required to stay within those weak guardrails because no code of ethics governs justices' behavior.

☆ It's not just GOP donors — even Trump's onetime spiritual advisor is turning on him after his 2024 announcement, calling him a 'little elementary schoolchild'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Even Trump's onetime spiritual adviser is ditching him, after he announced his 2024 presidential bid. "If Mr. Trump can't stop his little petty issues, how does he expect people to stop major issues?" Even Trump's one-time spiritual adviser has publicly slammed him, calling him childish, a day after he announced his 2024 presidential run. This was after Trump announced his 2024 presidential bid on Tuesday night at Mar-a-Lago, pledging to make America "great" and "glorious" again. Robison did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider on whether he would endorse Trump's 2024 bid.

☆ GOP megadonor Mercer family has no plans to boost Trump's 2024 campaign as former president loses more allies
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Robert Mercer and Rebekah Mercer attend the 2017 TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 25, 2017 in New York City. Rebekah Mercer gave nothing to any pro-Trump group or Trump campaign entity during his last run for president, according to the filings. The 2016 Trump campaign then reportedly used that data to conduct some digital advertising. The Trump campaign paid Cambridge Analytica over $5.9 million for its services during the 2016 election cycle, according to the nonpartisan OpenSecrets. The pro-Trump super PAC funded in part by Robert Mercer also paid Cambridge Analytica just over $5.6 million that cycle, OpenSecrets says.

☆ Trump ally, billionaire GOP megadonor Ronald Lauder won't back Trump's 2024 run for president
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Then-President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Ronald Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress, after a meeting on December 28, 2016 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Billionaire and GOP megadonor Ronald Lauder won't help finance Donald Trump's 2024 campaign for president, his spokesman told CNBC on Wednesday. Lauder, an heir to the Estée Lauder fortune, is the latest Republican megadonor to distance himself from Trump as the former president launches a third bid for the White House. Lauder reportedly spoke to Trump while he was president about the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland. Though his spokesman did not say who Lauder will support in 2024, Florida campaign finance records show that the billionaire businessman donated $10,000 last year to a political action committee supporting Florida Gov.

☆ Blackstone CEO and GOP megadonor Steve Schwarzman says he won't help Trump during 2024 primary
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman listens to U.S. President Donald Trump during Trump's strategy and policy forum with chief executives of major U.S. companies at the White House in Washington February 3, 2017. Blackstone CEO and Republican megadonor Steve Schwarzman has no plans to fund former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign for the White House — at least not in the GOP primary. Schwarzman first allied himself with Trump late in the 2016 presidential election. Since Trump's initial run for president, Schwarzman has become one the Republican Party's biggest donors. During the 2020 presidential election, he donated $3 million to America First Action, a super PAC that backed Trump's candidacy, according to OpenSecrets.

☆ Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman says he won't support Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential primary
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Blackstone CEO and GOP megadonor Steve Schwarzman says he won't support Donald Trump in 2024. Schwarzman and his wife donated $3 million to a Trump super PAC in 2020. The billionaire joins other prominent Republicans who say they will not support Trump's bid. Schwarzman and his wife, Christine Hearst Schwarzman, are Republican party megadonors. Schwarzman had previously criticized the January 6 Capitol rioters and did not support Trump's false claims that he had won the 2020 election.

☆ As Trump readies possible 2024 White House run, GOP megadonors back DeSantis, Youngkin, other Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sabin contributed $55,000 this year to a pro-DeSantis PAC, Friends of Ron DeSantis, which supported the Florida governor's successful bid for reelection, according to state campaign finance records. Trump, meanwhile, has scheduled a primetime announcement Tuesday night, heavily hinting that it will be his presidential campaign launch. Trump also endorsed dozens of winning House candidates, but many of those Republicans were in firmly red districts without a serious competitor. Ross hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his Hamptons home in 2019 to raise money for Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee. While Levine didn't personally donate to Trump's races, he helped raise campaign cash for several other candidates Trump endorsed in the last cycle.

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