{"id":26669,"date":"2023-05-24T11:36:42","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T18:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=26669"},"modified":"2023-05-24T11:36:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T18:36:43","slug":"durbin-experts-rip-crow-lawyers-claim-that-senate-lacks-authority-to-probe-thomas-gifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2023\/05\/24\/durbin-experts-rip-crow-lawyers-claim-that-senate-lacks-authority-to-probe-thomas-gifts\/","title":{"rendered":"Durbin, Experts Rip Crow Lawyer’s Claim That Senate Lacks Authority to Probe Thomas Gifts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Sen.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on March 16, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0(Photo: Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Harlan Crow thinks he is the law,” remarked one legal expert. “The billionaire and his lawyer apparently believe they get to stop congressional investigations if they so choose.”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

BRETT WILKINS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 23, 2023 (CommonDreams.org)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal experts and U.S. Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin on Tuesday derided billionaire Harlan Crow’s refusal to answer the panel’s questions regarding years of gifts\u2014including luxury vacations<\/a> and private school tuition<\/a>\u2014bestowed by the Republican megadonor upon Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas<\/a> and his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a letter<\/a> to Durbin (D-Ill.) responding to requests for information about the private jet, yacht, and upstate New York resort owned by Crow and his holding companies, Michael Bopp of the law firm Gibson Dunn\u2014which represents Crow\u2014asserted that the Judiciary Committee “has not identified a valid legislative purpose for its investigation and is not authorized to conduct an ethics investigation of a Supreme Court justice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durbin responded to Bopp’s letter with a statement<\/a> arguing that the missive “did not provide a credible justification for the failure of Mr. Crow and three corporate entities to respond to the committee’s written questions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>“First of all, the committee did not receive individual responses from anyone representing the three companies,” Durbin said. “That is untenable since the gifts and access to justices that these companies provided are highly relevant to the committee’s legislative efforts on ethics reform.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCOOP: Here's the letter that Justice Clarence Thomas's benefactor Harlan Crow sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee last night. His lawyers, from top firm Gibson Dunn, are arguing Congress doesn't have the authority to investigate the Supreme Court.https:\/\/t.co\/PAtQvK7a8S<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0HQ8SNBteI<\/a><\/p>— Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e) May 23, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>