Would much rather be obnoxiously friendly, than an obsequious grifter! Clearly, Thomas should suffer some consequence for this activity, but given the current Chief Justice, & his unwillingess to preserve what remaining shred of dignity/integrity the court may enjoy, suspect it'll simply be business as usual. A stronger case for Term Limits could not be made. Reform, now.
Fully agree, how disingenuous to claim that he didn't know? If I tried to claim ignorance with the IRS my ass would be in jail because it is my responsibility to know what is right and wrong. How could a high-level lawyer not know? Not only should be he removed from the court, he should be prosecuted for his crimes.
There is very little accountability for the rich and powerful in the country, and Clarence and Gini Thomas are two powerful grifters who fit such lack of accountability for their many crimes to a tee.
I've signed many a petition demanding Thomas be impeached or resign, but I know these actions won't occur, because his duty is to the Federalist Society and all those who would see this country revert back to the 19th century.
This greatest threat to what's left of our democracy comes from within not outside, as the Thomases so malignantly and repeatedly demonstrate.
"Thomas issued a statement last Friday — explaining that the reason he hadn’t disclosed any of this was that Crow and his wife are among Clarence and Ginni Thomases’ 'dearest friends' and that 'as friends do, we have joined them on a number of family trips during the more than quarter century we have known them.'"
"Thomas further explained that he thought he didn’t need to report these gifts on annual disclosure forms because when he first joined the court he was told that 'personal hospitality from close personal friends' need not be reported."
AND what if those "close personal friends" are bank robbers? Embezzlers? Scammers? Elizabeth Holmes? Sam Bankman-Fried? Trump? Would a that deep fraternal bond with THEM make taking their gifts all hunky-dory?
As for
"I knew Clarence Thomas when he was 23 years old. We never became close personal friends. (Although I made every effort to be friendly toward him at Yale Law School, he always responded to my overtures with an angry scowl."
It may just be, Bob, that that scowl was born of his knowledge that you simply hadn't the financial wherewithal to ply him with the kind of gifts that we now know he sees as his due. Paraphrasing Restoration-era British playwright William Congreve, well-placed wealth hath charms to soothe the savage scowl.
Lastly, every time Ginni Thomas is mentioned in the press she is described as a "conservative activist."
She is anything BUT an activist -- she is a PAID political OPERATIVE, who is almost certainly compensated far beyond what her husband earns on the Court and, as with all married couples, their funds are commingled: when Ginni's bread is buttered, Clarence's is in equal measure, and the malfeasences she commits to earn that compensation are his as well.
The Dishonorable Justice, Clarence Thomas, the longest serving member of the incumbent court, has no ethical integrity! His extremely lavish lifestyle since becoming family friends with Harlan Crow 25 years ago, has drawn much criticism. By the way, Clarence Thomas was elected by the Senate 52 to 48 to the SCOTUS on October 15, 1991, 31 yrs ago, the narrowest margin since 1881. Remember Anita Hill?
How can any function of Government not have a code of ethics? Maybe they should rename them the “Supreme Being Court Of The United States”
If a Supreme Court Justice has no more grasp of basic judicial ethics than Clarence Thomas exhibits, at least outwardly, then the lack of a code of conduct for the Supreme Court is the least of its problems.
Unfortunately, this system is what we have. If we're lucky, Thomas might be impeached. But I'm quite sure that's not going to happen. At the same time, my bet is that there are many thugs just like him. We have a system that supposedly found Dr. Anita Hill credible, and yet, Thomas was allowed to ascend to a seat in the highest court. The same system also found Dr. Christine Ford credible, and yet, the beer-loving frat boy was allowed to ascend as well. We may be able to expose and get rid of one or two of these thugs, but that's just a drop in the ocean. Just like we have reached the point of no return with the climate, I think we are at the point of no return with political corruption. Unless we completely overhaul the education system and start teaching reasoning and modern history (not the made-up revisionist ones), we won't have a future.
On the silk turtle neck that Thomas wore in a recent interview are the monogrammed initials HC - the turtle neck is apparently a gift that Harlan Crow bestows on his friends. But, as my wife pointed out, the monogram may also be seen as a brand - something familiar to any Texan.
I know Clarence Thomas is and has always been no more than a mediocre judge and was only picked by Bush Senior for the Court as a slap in the face to Black America, but he is bright enough to know what corruption is and that he is participating in it. Then, there's the interview he gave recently where he explains how he likes the "simple life" with vacations in an RV. Lying doesn't seem to be much of a problem for our Justice Thomas!
Because of his position as a Supreme Court Justice, this just might be the most disillusioning moment that has occurred in my 78 yrs of observing politics and human nature. Another reminder that, as my pal, Fred, often says, "If you find yourself to be disillusioned, you shouldn't have allowed yourself to become illusioned in the first place."
“When somebody says it’s not about the money, it’s about the money.” - H.L. Mencken
"Truth is always the enemy of power. And power the enemy of truth." - Edward Abbey
You are so right. It is so sinister to try to justify pure corruption by friendship. Thomas is obviously arrogant and thinks that the rest of us are stupid idiots whom he, his wife and their friends should rule over. Defend the American Republic. Impeach him.
Great piece, Robert, but will anything actually be DONE? I think articles like yours shine a light on the shadows, and thanks for that but it is a bit depressing to think he'll just brazen it out and carry on regardless.
I do not expect Clarence Thomas, the most corrupt judge in American history ,will suffer any adverse consequences stemming from his innate corruption. Democrats seem to timid to impeach him and even if they do, insufficient votes exist in Congress there to convict him Rather his judicial philosophy and decisions will continue to poison American Sociery for years to come.
I wonder if Thomas' scowl at Yale was because he had no more right to be there than he currently does to sit on SCOTUS. Insecure people who know they have gotten something they do not deserve and did not earn can be like that.
As I was reading Robert Reich in his excoriating short treatise on Clarence Thomas and his dear, rich friends, I couldn't help hearing a tango in it's cadence, in it's elegant and pointed preciseness, and somehow the deservedly venomous and exacting wit of Jane Austen in her social commentaries. Try it, read it again, and think of a tango and Jane Austen. TOUCHE' could never mean as much.
Would much rather be obnoxiously friendly, than an obsequious grifter! Clearly, Thomas should suffer some consequence for this activity, but given the current Chief Justice, & his unwillingess to preserve what remaining shred of dignity/integrity the court may enjoy, suspect it'll simply be business as usual. A stronger case for Term Limits could not be made. Reform, now.
Fully agree, how disingenuous to claim that he didn't know? If I tried to claim ignorance with the IRS my ass would be in jail because it is my responsibility to know what is right and wrong. How could a high-level lawyer not know? Not only should be he removed from the court, he should be prosecuted for his crimes.
There is very little accountability for the rich and powerful in the country, and Clarence and Gini Thomas are two powerful grifters who fit such lack of accountability for their many crimes to a tee.
I've signed many a petition demanding Thomas be impeached or resign, but I know these actions won't occur, because his duty is to the Federalist Society and all those who would see this country revert back to the 19th century.
This greatest threat to what's left of our democracy comes from within not outside, as the Thomases so malignantly and repeatedly demonstrate.
"Thomas issued a statement last Friday — explaining that the reason he hadn’t disclosed any of this was that Crow and his wife are among Clarence and Ginni Thomases’ 'dearest friends' and that 'as friends do, we have joined them on a number of family trips during the more than quarter century we have known them.'"
"Thomas further explained that he thought he didn’t need to report these gifts on annual disclosure forms because when he first joined the court he was told that 'personal hospitality from close personal friends' need not be reported."
AND what if those "close personal friends" are bank robbers? Embezzlers? Scammers? Elizabeth Holmes? Sam Bankman-Fried? Trump? Would a that deep fraternal bond with THEM make taking their gifts all hunky-dory?
As for
"I knew Clarence Thomas when he was 23 years old. We never became close personal friends. (Although I made every effort to be friendly toward him at Yale Law School, he always responded to my overtures with an angry scowl."
It may just be, Bob, that that scowl was born of his knowledge that you simply hadn't the financial wherewithal to ply him with the kind of gifts that we now know he sees as his due. Paraphrasing Restoration-era British playwright William Congreve, well-placed wealth hath charms to soothe the savage scowl.
Lastly, every time Ginni Thomas is mentioned in the press she is described as a "conservative activist."
She is anything BUT an activist -- she is a PAID political OPERATIVE, who is almost certainly compensated far beyond what her husband earns on the Court and, as with all married couples, their funds are commingled: when Ginni's bread is buttered, Clarence's is in equal measure, and the malfeasences she commits to earn that compensation are his as well.
The SCOTUS has hit rock bottom
The Dishonorable Justice, Clarence Thomas, the longest serving member of the incumbent court, has no ethical integrity! His extremely lavish lifestyle since becoming family friends with Harlan Crow 25 years ago, has drawn much criticism. By the way, Clarence Thomas was elected by the Senate 52 to 48 to the SCOTUS on October 15, 1991, 31 yrs ago, the narrowest margin since 1881. Remember Anita Hill?
How can any function of Government not have a code of ethics? Maybe they should rename them the “Supreme Being Court Of The United States”
If a Supreme Court Justice has no more grasp of basic judicial ethics than Clarence Thomas exhibits, at least outwardly, then the lack of a code of conduct for the Supreme Court is the least of its problems.
Unfortunately, this system is what we have. If we're lucky, Thomas might be impeached. But I'm quite sure that's not going to happen. At the same time, my bet is that there are many thugs just like him. We have a system that supposedly found Dr. Anita Hill credible, and yet, Thomas was allowed to ascend to a seat in the highest court. The same system also found Dr. Christine Ford credible, and yet, the beer-loving frat boy was allowed to ascend as well. We may be able to expose and get rid of one or two of these thugs, but that's just a drop in the ocean. Just like we have reached the point of no return with the climate, I think we are at the point of no return with political corruption. Unless we completely overhaul the education system and start teaching reasoning and modern history (not the made-up revisionist ones), we won't have a future.
On the silk turtle neck that Thomas wore in a recent interview are the monogrammed initials HC - the turtle neck is apparently a gift that Harlan Crow bestows on his friends. But, as my wife pointed out, the monogram may also be seen as a brand - something familiar to any Texan.
I know Clarence Thomas is and has always been no more than a mediocre judge and was only picked by Bush Senior for the Court as a slap in the face to Black America, but he is bright enough to know what corruption is and that he is participating in it. Then, there's the interview he gave recently where he explains how he likes the "simple life" with vacations in an RV. Lying doesn't seem to be much of a problem for our Justice Thomas!
Because of his position as a Supreme Court Justice, this just might be the most disillusioning moment that has occurred in my 78 yrs of observing politics and human nature. Another reminder that, as my pal, Fred, often says, "If you find yourself to be disillusioned, you shouldn't have allowed yourself to become illusioned in the first place."
“When somebody says it’s not about the money, it’s about the money.” - H.L. Mencken
"Truth is always the enemy of power. And power the enemy of truth." - Edward Abbey
You are so right. It is so sinister to try to justify pure corruption by friendship. Thomas is obviously arrogant and thinks that the rest of us are stupid idiots whom he, his wife and their friends should rule over. Defend the American Republic. Impeach him.
Great piece, Robert, but will anything actually be DONE? I think articles like yours shine a light on the shadows, and thanks for that but it is a bit depressing to think he'll just brazen it out and carry on regardless.
I do not expect Clarence Thomas, the most corrupt judge in American history ,will suffer any adverse consequences stemming from his innate corruption. Democrats seem to timid to impeach him and even if they do, insufficient votes exist in Congress there to convict him Rather his judicial philosophy and decisions will continue to poison American Sociery for years to come.
Dr.R.A. Rosenstein, Chicago, IL
💯 & we need to keep calling them out. As we keep saying, these 2 parties are not the same.
I wonder if Thomas' scowl at Yale was because he had no more right to be there than he currently does to sit on SCOTUS. Insecure people who know they have gotten something they do not deserve and did not earn can be like that.
As I was reading Robert Reich in his excoriating short treatise on Clarence Thomas and his dear, rich friends, I couldn't help hearing a tango in it's cadence, in it's elegant and pointed preciseness, and somehow the deservedly venomous and exacting wit of Jane Austen in her social commentaries. Try it, read it again, and think of a tango and Jane Austen. TOUCHE' could never mean as much.