Independent presidential candidate Cornel West claimed he returned a maximum donation from Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow after facing a wave of criticism for accepting the contribution.

August financial filings revealed West accepted $3,300 from the same pro-business conservative who provided Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with undisclosed gifts and trips over the years.

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Writing in a lengthy post on X, formerly known as Twitter, West said, “I listened and decided to give the money back to brother Harlan.” West’s admission on Friday comes after his strong defense of Crow’s donation the day prior.

“How sad that perceptions so quickly triumph over truth in our decadent culture,” West said. “This holds in our major catastrophe in the Middle East where the rich humanity of Palestinians is rendered invisible. It also holds at home in the minor scandal about Harlan Crow’s donation to my campaign.”

The former star Harvard professor has been openly critical of Israel, posting his opinions online and in speeches in the two weeks since Hamas ambushed Israel, stoking a simmering conflict that has since morphed into a war.

“He is a staunch anti-Trump Republican who has ‘Never Forget’ collections of tyrants (Stalin, Mao, Hitler, and many others) and patriotic collections of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln,” West said about Crow. “Does this disqualify him from contributing to my campaign? Most people holler yes, I say no. As a jazzman, I listened and decided to give the money back to brother Harlan - but still state the truth!”

The progressive activist, who recently ditched the Green Party to launch an independent bid, quickly defended himself against criticism regarding the large donation. Writing on X, West said, "as an independent candidate and a free Black man, I accept donations within the limits of no PACs or corporate interest groups that have strings attached."

West said while he has political differences with “brother Harlan Crow” he’s known the Dallas-based real estate tycoon in a “non-political setting for some years.”

“I find it hypocritical for those who highlight his $3300 donation to my campaign but can’t say a mumbling word about the PAC-driven billion dollars to support the genocidal attack in Gaza sponsored by their candidate!” West added.

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West’s Federal Election Commission filings show he accepted the contribution from Crow around two weeks before switching parties. Crow has given generously to multiple presidential contenders, including former Gov. Chris Christie, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

The Washington Examiner reached out to West's campaign for a comment.