All articles tagged with #clarence thomas
A former clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas warns that the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Constitution may be shifting towards a pro-presidential stance, potentially undermining norms and institutions, especially regarding the president's power to remove officials, with significant implications for future governance.
President Joe Biden criticized U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's decision to dismiss the classified documents case against Donald Trump, calling it "specious" and influenced by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's opinion on the illegitimacy of independent prosecutors. Biden expressed his disagreement with the ruling and stated it would not affect his campaign focus on Trump's legal issues.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has sparked controversy by concurring with a decision that reversed a lower court's ruling on racial factors in South Carolina's congressional redistricting. Thomas criticized the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, arguing that the court overstepped its bounds and that "racial isolation" is not inherently harmful. The NAACP condemned the ruling as a severe blow to democracy.
Justice Clarence Thomas criticized the Supreme Court's use of judicial power in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision while concurring in a recent ruling that upheld a GOP-drawn redistricting map in South Carolina. Thomas argued that federal courts should not be involved in drawing voting districts and that the Constitution prohibits all forms of race-based discrimination. The court's 6-3 decision emphasized the need to distinguish between race and politics in redistricting challenges.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a South Carolina congressional map deemed racially gerrymandered, making it harder to challenge unjust voting maps. Justice Clarence Thomas, in a concurring opinion, argued that federal courts should not intervene in redistricting, criticizing past judicial actions like Brown v. Board of Education for overstepping judicial power.
Comedian John Oliver has given Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas less than 48 hours to accept his $1 million-a-year offer to quit the bench, along with a $2.4 million luxury motor coach. Oliver initially made the offer during a February episode of his show, citing various conflicts of interest involving Thomas. The deadline reminder comes amidst criticism of the Supreme Court's recent rulings, with Thomas previously expressing that the job of a justice is "not worth doing for what they pay."
The Judicial Conference of the United States has announced a new policy requiring random assignment of judges in civil cases with statewide or national implications to address concerns about "judge shopping." This move aims to promote impartiality and public confidence in the federal judiciary. The issue gained attention after controversial cases were filed in single-judge divisions. Meanwhile, the Judicial Conference is still reviewing Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's financial reporting practices following accusations of violating federal ethics laws.
Justice Clarence Thomas participated in the Supreme Court decision that restored Donald Trump to 2024 presidential primary ballots, despite calls to recuse himself due to his wife's support of Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The decision overturned a Colorado Supreme Court ruling and ended efforts in multiple states to remove Trump from the ballot over his role in the Capitol riot. Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and called for mandatory ethics rules for the Supreme Court.
MSNBC host Joy Reid suggested that the Supreme Court's decision to hear former President Donald Trump's immunity case in late April may have been motivated by a desire to allow conservative justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to retire under a Trump administration. Reid and NYU law professor Melissa Murray discussed potential motivations for the court's move, with Murray highlighting the impact of the justices' potential retirement on the court's composition. Reid also referenced ethical controversies involving Thomas and Alito, including Thomas' undisclosed gifts from a billionaire and Alito's luxury vacation with a Republican billionaire with ties to cases he later voted on.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has hired Crystal Clanton, a law clerk accused of sending racist text messages in 2017, to work for him in the upcoming term. Clanton, who denies remembering sending the messages, had previously served as the national field director at Turning Point USA, a conservative student group. Despite the controversy, Justice Thomas and his wife have maintained a close relationship with Clanton, with the justice calling the allegations against her unfounded and expressing disbelief in her being racist.
Senator Dick Durbin has called for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from cases related to the 2020 election, including one concerning the eligibility of former President Donald Trump to appear on the ballot in 2024. Durbin's request comes after reports that Thomas' wife, Ginni Thomas, had urged the Trump White House to overturn the election results.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas faces calls to recuse himself from a case examining whether Donald Trump can appear on 2024 primary election ballots due to his wife's involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The decision to recuse is up to the individual justice, and Thomas has not indicated any intention to do so. Critics argue that his impartiality may be questioned given his wife's affiliations, while supporters maintain that Ginni Thomas's opinions do not require recusal. The outcome of the case could impact the 2024 presidential election, and concerns about the court's integrity and transparency have been raised.
Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin has called for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from any rulings related to Donald Trump's eligibility for the 2024 presidential election, citing the involvement of Thomas's wife in Trump's "big lie" about the 2020 election. Raskin's comments come as the Supreme Court prepares to review state rulings from Maine and Colorado that have barred Trump from the primaries under the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause. Raskin, who led Trump's second impeachment and served on the committee investigating the January 6 attack, expressed concerns that Trump would attempt to overturn the election results again if he loses. Meanwhile, allies of Trump argue that the decisions to disbar him are politically motivated, with some Republicans defending Trump's right to be on the ballot.
Justice Clarence Thomas threatened to resign from the Supreme Court in 2000 if his salary was not increased, according to a memo obtained by The New York Times. The memo revealed that Thomas had approached Republican Representative Cliff Stearns about the issue, stating that "one or more justices will soon leave" if their compensation was not raised. This led to a campaign by Republican backers to meet Thomas's demands, including seeking help from a lobbying group affiliated with the Podesta brothers to draft a bill. The revelations shed light on the financial pressures faced by Thomas at the time and the political risks associated with increasing justices' pay.
Judge William Pryor, an ally of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has denied former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows' request to move his criminal charges related to the 2020 election results in Georgia into federal court. The ruling suggests conservative opposition to immunity defenses put forth by Donald Trump. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Meadows must face the charges in state court, stating that transfers are only allowed for current government officials and that the charges against Meadows are about actions outside his official duties, making him ineligible for immunity. The decision is seen as a blow to Trump's defense strategy in similar cases.