Clarence Thomas was a controversial nominee to the Supreme Court. He received no ABA votes for 'Well Qualified; there were credible accusations of sex abuse against his staff.
He was widely perceived as being a highly ideological nominee picked because of his race to replace Thurgood Marshall.
With his flaws, he was going to be a close confirmation vote.
Luckily for him, a partisan group recently created decided to lobby for him, and spent $100,000 in attacks against Senators who had said they were not approving him.
IIRC, he was the closest vote ever for an approved nominee with 52 votes.
The political advocacy group who had paid for attack ads to help him get this close vote: "Citizens United".
Later, a case which many consider one of the most important in the history of the US affecting our democracy was in front of the court. It would affect corporate donations becoming unlimited, allowed to smother elections. Thomas' wife was and is a major figure in right-wing politics who would be greatly affected by the ruling.
While the case was in front of the court, his wife formed a new group which for right-wing advocacy which would be affected by the ruling. It raised $550,000.
Thomas himself had participated in political strategy planning with the Koch brothers who would greatly benefit from the Citizens United case.
Between his history with Citizens United playing a role in his campaign to be on the court, and his wife's standing to benefit from the case, Thomas did not recuse himself.
Instead, he cast the deciding vote, 5-4. in favor of Citizens United, allowing unlimited corporate donations, primarily benefiting the right-wing groups he and his wife support.
Less than two months after the ruling, Thomas' wife put out a statement to take advantage of the ruling, saying the group would "accept donations from various sources — including corporations — as allowed under campaign finance rules recently loosened by the Supreme Court."
Her right-wing advocacy efforts have included issues like calling for the repeal of the Affordable Healthcare Act - knowing it's likely to come before the Supreme Court.
http://www.truth-out.org/judicial-insider-trading-justice-clarence-thomas-and-wife-ginni/1307895791
There's more; with the controversy, Thomas' wife several months later resigned from the advocacy group she had founded - belatedly removing that conflict of interest.
Turns out, not so fast. Two days after announcing the resignation, she incorporated a new group with almost the same name - and its IRS forms had the same address.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsx6ot4I1iQ
Thomas also filed false disclosure forms for 20 years hiding his wife's income of $700,000 from the right-wing propaganda group, the Heritage Foundation. This is a crime
This behavior completely violates the standards federal judges other than the Supreme Court are held to. It's a scandal and a corruption of the Supreme Court.
It's not Thomas' first ethical violations.
Save234
He was widely perceived as being a highly ideological nominee picked because of his race to replace Thurgood Marshall.
With his flaws, he was going to be a close confirmation vote.
Luckily for him, a partisan group recently created decided to lobby for him, and spent $100,000 in attacks against Senators who had said they were not approving him.
IIRC, he was the closest vote ever for an approved nominee with 52 votes.
The political advocacy group who had paid for attack ads to help him get this close vote: "Citizens United".
Later, a case which many consider one of the most important in the history of the US affecting our democracy was in front of the court. It would affect corporate donations becoming unlimited, allowed to smother elections. Thomas' wife was and is a major figure in right-wing politics who would be greatly affected by the ruling.
While the case was in front of the court, his wife formed a new group which for right-wing advocacy which would be affected by the ruling. It raised $550,000.
Thomas himself had participated in political strategy planning with the Koch brothers who would greatly benefit from the Citizens United case.
Between his history with Citizens United playing a role in his campaign to be on the court, and his wife's standing to benefit from the case, Thomas did not recuse himself.
Instead, he cast the deciding vote, 5-4. in favor of Citizens United, allowing unlimited corporate donations, primarily benefiting the right-wing groups he and his wife support.
Less than two months after the ruling, Thomas' wife put out a statement to take advantage of the ruling, saying the group would "accept donations from various sources — including corporations — as allowed under campaign finance rules recently loosened by the Supreme Court."
Her right-wing advocacy efforts have included issues like calling for the repeal of the Affordable Healthcare Act - knowing it's likely to come before the Supreme Court.
http://www.truth-out.org/judicial-insider-trading-justice-clarence-thomas-and-wife-ginni/1307895791
There's more; with the controversy, Thomas' wife several months later resigned from the advocacy group she had founded - belatedly removing that conflict of interest.
Turns out, not so fast. Two days after announcing the resignation, she incorporated a new group with almost the same name - and its IRS forms had the same address.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsx6ot4I1iQ
Thomas also filed false disclosure forms for 20 years hiding his wife's income of $700,000 from the right-wing propaganda group, the Heritage Foundation. This is a crime
This behavior completely violates the standards federal judges other than the Supreme Court are held to. It's a scandal and a corruption of the Supreme Court.
It's not Thomas' first ethical violations.
Save234
Last edited:
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