The bell rings for Round 2

I see that Gatsby Wyden has had the many minions on the staff of his Senate Finance Committee busy writing up a snappy retort to the lawyers for Clarence Thomas's sugar daddy, Harlan Crow. (My coverage of the first round of this epic geriatric struggle was here.)

If you're having trouble sleeping, you can read the entirety of the Wyden crew's latest salvo here. But here's an executive summary: At a couple of points in there, old Ron really lets the beta blockers wear off. "Don't make me turn this car around!"

If Mr. Crow needs any further clarification, he might find it helpful to refer to the considerable amount of analysis his own law firm has done on the committee’s tax policy work. In Mr. Crow’s attorney’s response to my initial round of questions, he also argued that his client was somehow protected by the separation of powers between Congress and the judiciary. It goes without saying, but Mr. Crow is not a branch of government. My hope is that with the issue of committee jurisdiction settled, Mr. Crow provides answers to the questions I’ve put before him a second time. I realize the committee may need to follow another route to compel his answers, and I’m prepared to make that happen.

Careful, Grandpa, you'll break a hip!