U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas defends trips financed by “dearest friends.”

ProPublica reported that the long-serving justice accepted expensive trips from Harlan Crow over decades despite federal law requiring the disclosure of most gifts, prompting Senate Democrats to call for an investigation (Reuters, April 7, 2023).

Only the U.S. tax returns of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his “dearest friends,” Harlan Crow, can verify the proper use of these gifts made over the decades whether legally required to be disclosed or not. You can help and make a difference. Write your United States congressional representatives and ask them in their investigation to be sure that Thomas’s and Crow’s United States income tax returns have been properly filed and are up to date.

Who must file — United States gift tax return

IRS instructions for Form 709 (2022)

In general, if you are a citizen or resident of the United States, you must file a gift tax return (whether or not any tax is ultimately due) in the following situations:

∫ If you gave gifts to someone in 2022 totaling more than $16,000 (other than to your spouse), you probably must file Form 709. But see Transfers Not Subject to the Gift Tax and Gifts to Your Spouse, later, for more information on specific gifts that are not taxable.

∫ The donor is responsible for paying the gift tax. However, if the donor does not pay the tax, the person receiving the fit may have to pay the tax.

Penalties:

Late filing and late payment

Section 6651 imposes penalties for both late filing and late payment, unless there is reasonable cause for the delay.

LANCE A. HEITZ,

Presque Isle