A statement by Crow’s office to NBC News on Thursday indicated Crow never directly gave Thomas money to pay the tuition for Mark Martin, of whom Thomas had taken legal custody when Mark was 6, at private schools in Georgia and Virginia.

It said Crow and his wife, Kathy, have “long been passionate about giving back to those less fortunate, especially at-risk youth” and that they have supported many through scholarships and other programs at a number of schools.

“Tuition and other financial assistance is given directly to academic institutions, not to students or to their families,” Crow’s office said. “These scholarships and other contributions have always been paid solely from personal funds, sometimes held at and paid through the family business.

“It’s disappointing that those with partisan political interests would try to turn helping at-risk youth with tuition assistance into something nefarious or political.”