Durbin also demanded information from businesses affiliated with Crow's private jet, private yacht and an expansive property known as Camp Topridge in New York's Adirondack Mountains.Ĭrow and the related entities were given a May 22nd deadline to respond. and other GOP members on the panel.Īlso this week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin and Democrats on the panel sent a letter to Crow, issuing a new series of demands to detail the extent of any gifts worth more than $415 that he has given to any Supreme Court justice or their family members. "We reject this manufactured 'ethics crisis' at the Supreme Court as a ploy to further Democrats' efforts to undermine public confidence and change the makeup of the Court," said the letter signed by top Judiciary Republican Sen. A group of 14 Senate Republicans also wrote to Wyden to object to what they called "unprecedented attacks." Mike Crapo, said in response that he would oppose any subpoenas or other tools used by Democrats to "undermine the independence" of the court. "The bottom line is that nobody can expect to get away with waving off Finance Committee oversight, no matter how wealthy or well-connected they may be. "I was disappointed but unsurprised by billionaire Republican activist Harlan Crow's refusal to respond to my questions," Wyden said in a statement released Tuesday. Crow did not meet a May 8 deadline to turn over information, a committee aide said. Wyden, D-Ore., in an April 24 letter requested Crow turn over tax information, and last week asked Crow to detail the Thomas gifts. Crow did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NPR. In recent reporting, ProPublica detailed undisclosed gifts from Crow to Thomas, which include luxury trips and private school tuition for a Thomas relative. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, have demanded new details from Texas billionaire developer Harlan Crow. Pressure to force a wealthy GOP donor to explain his ties to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas escalated on Tuesday, with top Senate Democrats pushing for new disclosures in the face of Senate Republican opposition.
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