<p>Mark Paoletta, a longtime friend of Supreme Court Justice <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/clarence-thomas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clarence Thomas</a> and lawyer to his wife, defended Thomas in a lengthy statement on Thursday after another left-wing publication ran a hit piece on the 74-year-old justice.</p>
<p>ProPublica reported on Thursday that GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow paid thousands of dollars for private schooling for a great nephew of Thomas that he raised as a son for more than a decade. The report suggested that Thomas did something wrong because he did not disclose the payments as gifts.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Thomases have rarely spoken publicly about the remarkably generous efforts to help a child in need,&#8221; said Paoletta. &#8220;They have always respected the privacy of this young man and his family. It is disappointing and painful, but unsurprising that some journalists and critics cannot do the same.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;The Thomases—quietly and honorably—devoted twelve years of their lives to helping a beloved child in desperate need of love, support, and guidance,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;In 1997, Justice Thomas and his wife brought their great nephew to live with them. They agreed to take in this young child much as Justice Thomas’s grandparents had done for him and his brother in 1955.&#8221;</p>
<p>Paoletta said that Thomas’ grandparents changed the trajectory of his life and that Thomas wanted to do the same for a child in his family who was in need.</p>
<p>&#8220;Justice Thomas and his wife made immeasurable personal and financial sacrifices and poured every ounce of their lives and hearts into giving their great nephew a chance to succeed,&#8221; Paoletta said. &#8220;In the summer of 2006, the Thomases were struggling to find a school where they could send their great nephew. In discussing these challenges with their dear friends, Harlan and Kathy Crow, Harlan recommended that the Thomases consider one more option: sending their great nephew to Randolph Macon Academy. Harlan had attended Randolph Macon, and he thought the school would be a good fit.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Harlan had financially supported Randolph Macon since the 1980s, and funded scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;Harlan offered to pay the first year of Justice Thomas’s great nephew’s tuition in 2006, and that payment went directly to the school. Harlan Crow’s Office confirmed that he did not pay the great nephew’s tuition for any other year at Randolph Macon.&#8221;</p>
<p>Paoletta said that Randolph Macon recommended the great nephew go to a boarding school in Georgia for a year and that Harlan offered to pay for the first year of tuition at the boarding school and that the payments were made directly to the boarding school.</p>
<p><b data-stringify-type="bold"><a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-7429">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a></b></p>
<p>Paoletta said that it was &#8220;despicable&#8221; that the media has used Thomas&#8217; great nephew in its efforts to smear him.</p>
<p>&#8220;This story is another attempt to manufacture a scandal about Justice Thomas,&#8221; Paoletta said. &#8220;But let’s be clear about what is supposedly scandalous now: Justice Thomas and his wife devoted twelve years of their lives to taking in and caring for a beloved child—who was not their own—just as Justice Thomas’s grandparents had done for him. They made many personal and financial sacrifices to do this. And along the way, their friends joined them in doing everything possible to give this child a future.&#8221;</p>
<p>Paoletta said that the payments did not constitute a reportable gift because the payments were made directly to the schools on the behalf of Thomas&#8217; great nephew.</p>
<p>&#8220;Justice Thomas was not required to disclose the tuition payments made directly to Randolph Macon and the Georgia school on behalf of his great nephew because the definition of a &#8216;dependent child&#8217; under the Ethics in Government Act (5 U.S.C. 13101 (2)) does not include a &#8216;great nephew,’” the statement added. &#8220;It is limited to a &#8216;son, daughter, stepson or stepdaughter.&#8217; Justice Thomas never asked Harlan Crow to pay for his great nephew’s tuition. And neither Harlan Crow, nor his company, had any business before the Supreme Court.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;This malicious story shows nothing except for the fact that the Thomases and the Crows are kind, generous, and loving people who tried to help this young man,&#8221; the statement concluded.</p>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Longtime Friend Of Clarence Thomas Defends Him From Latest Left-Wing Smear Attack

California Races Come Into Focus As First Votes Pour In

Kid Rock Delivers Memorial Day Reminder About The Cost Of Freedom

Platner Refuses To Apologize After Mocking Purple Heart Recipient

Trump Makes Tough Call On Don Jr.’s Bahamas Wedding

Scandal-Plagued Journo Who Wrote Hit Piece On Daily Wire Has Old Ties To Mamdani

Reporter Behind Anti-Daily Wire Hit Piece Now Facing Plagiarism Investigation

News

Clarence Thomas

General

Money

Politics

SCOTUS

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Longtime Friend Of Clarence Thomas Defends Him From Latest Left-Wing Smear Attack