Following reports that Thomas' wife, Ginni Thomas, exchanged texts with then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, urging him to attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, Chairman Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is calling on Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from cases related to Jan. 6.
President Joe Biden dodged a question on whether Justice Clarence Thomas should disqualify himself from matters before the Supreme Court on Jan. 6, saying only that the incident "raises a significant question about conflict of interest for Justice Thomas."
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' Wife Is Urged To Testify
As calls for Thomas to disqualify himself from such cases mount and legal experts warn that the news might cause issues for the nation's top court, Biden said the issue of recusal was a legal one and that he wouldn't impose on the Justice Department and Congress' processes.
Ginni Thomas' connection to the White House, specifically Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, was revealed in twenty-nine text conversations acquired by The Washington Post last week. Meadows was speaking with Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist, at a time when then-President Donald Trump and his allies were threatening to challenge the 2020 election results in the Supreme Court.
Meadows sent hundreds of papers to a House select committee probing the Capitol attack late last year, including the messages. On November 10, Thomas emailed Meadows after Biden was predicted as the winner.
Over the weekend, the story grew even more explosive, with new revelations revealing the breadth of Ginni Thomas' influence. She reportedly encouraged Republican members of Congress to reject the election results, according to NBC News.
The recent disclosures have created a dispute among select committee members about how they would deal with Justice Thomas's wife, Ginni Thomas, and if the panel will summon her to testify. Given the committee's evidence, panel chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said on Monday that this might be a possibility, as per Politico.
Justice Clarence Thomas Participates in Hearings
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas took part in sessions over the phone following his discharge from the hospital. Justice Thomas returned to court on Monday after nearly a week in the hospital. Justice Thomas, 73, will "participate remotely this morning," according to Chief Justice John Roberts. He didn't explain. Justice Thomas could be heard asking concerns about federal legislation meant to safeguard railroad workers during the proceedings.
He used his 40-foot RV as an illustration, stating, "some of this seems a little bit counterintuitive and I admit to being a little bit wrapped around the axle," which elicited giggles from some of his coworkers. Justice Roberts stated that Justice Thomas intends to participate in the rulings of the cases in which he was unable to attend the arguments due to his illness.
On March 18, Justice Thomas was brought to the hospital with "flu-like symptoms." Intravenous antibiotics were used to treat his illness. He didn't have COVID-19, according to the judge. All nine justices have had complete vaccinations and boosters. Justice Thomas was supposed to be released on Tuesday, but he stayed until Friday. He remained longer than intended for reasons that are still unknown, the Independent reported.
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