Cornel West Defends Donation From Republican Billionaire Harlan Crow: ‘I Am Unbought and Unbossed’

Republican megadonor Harlan Crow gifted $3,300 to activist and third-party presidential candidate Cornel West, according to a newly released campaign finance report. The donation was made in August before West abandoned his quest for the Green Party nomination to run as an independent candidate. Crow has found himself under scrutiny after several ProPublica reports detailed his close ties with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, including unreported lavish trips and other gifts. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Crow referred to West as “a good friend.” The billionaire also lent financial support to GOP candidate Chris Christie last quarter. On Thursday, West responded to the resulting backlash, explaining that he has known “brother” Crow for years in a “non-political setting.” He then called out the hypocrisy of those critical of him accepting Crow’s donation but not condemning the billions of dollars supporting Israel’s attacks on Gaza. “I am unbought and unbossed,” he wrote. “Despite my deep political differences with brother Harlan Crow (who is an anti-Trump Republican), I’ve known him in a non-political setting for some years and I pray for his precious family.”