A right-wing billionaire who paid for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's rides on private jet flights and luxury vacations was not subpoenaed as expected Thursday because of Senate Judiciary committee "scheduling issues," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced.
This vague response was reiterated more bluntly by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who told Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio: “We just got jammed with too many bad-faith amendments all at once."
Committee Democrats were slated to subpoena Harlan Crow, the Republican mega-donor whose gifts and dealings Thomas failed to disclose, and Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society leader facing scrutiny for a lavish lifestyle and a $43 million dark money transfer.
But the hearing was abruptly adjourned Thursday afternoon.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) had promised Republicans would “vigorously oppose” the subpoenas and promised Democrats "a complete s--- show."
And Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) accused Democrats of playing politics then said she'd offer subpoena votes for Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s book publisher and former special counsel Robert Mueller’s staff.
According to CNN, Durbin, the committee's Democratic chair, intends to try again on the subpoenas next week.
