Community | February 10, 2011 | 28 comments

Shame on you Clarence

source: http://figrd.blogspot.com/

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A case challenging the constitutionality of the health care reform bill passed by Congress is headed to the Supreme Court, and Justice Clarence Thomas has a supreme ethical conflict.
It's been widely reported that the Thomas family has financial ties to the conservative organizations leading the campaign to bring down our new health care law — the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Rep. Anthony Weiner and 73 other members of Congress have signed a letter detailing the appearance of ethical conflict and asking Justice Thomas to recuse himself from deliberations on the constitutionality of health care reform.
We're asking you to sign a companion letter that Rep. Weiner — a champion of progressive issues — will deliver to the Supreme Court along with the letter signed by members of Congress. (petition and letter too.. at my link you can sign automatically)
Thomas failed to disclose that his wife Ginni Thomas received a total of $686,589 in compensation from the Heritage Foundation. Furthermore his wife is currently advertising herself as a lobbyist who has "experience and connections" to conservative groups who have an explicit agenda to overturn health care reform — by repeal in the Congress or overturning the law in the courts.
Justice Thomas is no stranger to questions of ethics. Along with Justice Antonin Scalia he attended meetings organized by the secretive, Tea Party-funding billionaire Koch brothers. The Koch brothers have been key players in rewriting the political landscape after the Citizens United Supreme Court decision unleashed the floodgates of corporate money in federal politics, and Thomas's wife has received an undisclosed salary paid for by undisclosed donors as CEO of Liberty Central, a 501(c)(4) organization that was formed to take advantage of Citizens United rules and to play an active role in the 2010 elections.
Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, Supreme Court Justices have no specific code of ethics to which they may be held accountable. But there is a clear appearance of a conflict of interest between his wife's clear financial stake in overturning the health care law and Justice Thomas' personal duty to exhibit the highest degree of discretion and impartiality. To protect the honor of the highest court in the land, Thomas must recuse himself from deliberations on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
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28 comments // Shame on you Clarence

  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  

    • If they think that the corruption in the supreme court is going to step aside they are dreaming pink elephants.

    • 1 year ago
  • twinite
    • 0
      twinite  

    • Seems to me our Supreme Court Justices should be held to a higher level of propriety, instead of being allowed to make up their own rules as they go, and the first sign of them using their position to further their own agenda's NEEDS to be dealt with by impeachment off the bench.

    • 1 year ago
  • good_stuff
  • PeteLeS33
    • 0
      PeteLeS33  

    • Congress doesn't create these petitions every day. This is just to see if justice Thomas is going to act in "Good Faith". This is more of a demand than a request.

    • 1 year ago
  • MikeMaddigan
    • +2
      MikeMaddigan  

    • Impeachment for the Bozo twins should be Keith's first "Special Commentary" as soon as he takes the reins here. Thomas and Scalia are a disgrace to their robes. Both have long been openly thumbing their noses at the other 2 allegedly co-equal branches of government, and most brazenly ever since the Citizen's United ruling. Congressmen get bounced from their chambers regularly. Presidents get impeached, too, but never SC justices? Where are the checks and balances? Mr. President? Senator Reed? Oh, I forgot. Congress was already bought and paid for long before Citizen's United, and The President is too busy going corporate...to get re-elected...he thinks.

    • 1 year ago
  • Rightor
  • wolfess
    • +2
      wolfess  
    • Rightor:

      Ok, let's start with Thomas recusing himself from this case; and then let's see what 'we the people' can do to get him removed from the Supreme Court.

    • 1 year ago
  • Incredulous
  • Warren_Merrill
  • tcat
    • +2
      tcat  

    • I find it amazing that republicans are insisting that Elena Kagan recuse herself but they are not talking about Thomas.

    • 1 year ago
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
    • +1
      COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM  

    • If it is evidenced that he willfully acted subjectively, non judiciously, then can not the balance of the court can press for their own investigation, with the possibility of ejecting him from the bench?

      How about writing the President and your congressmen?

    • 1 year ago
  • ConcernedAboutRFuture
  • Incredulous
  • Leen61
  • timetide
    • +4
      timetide  

    • they keep trying to appeal to his better nature, without realizing he doesn't have one. He forces interns to have sex, cheats on his wife, has used racial slurs when he thinks he can get away with it and a whole laundry list of other misdeeds and corruption. do they really think that signing a petition that he's not even going to read is going to do anything? For the goddesses sake, this is the man who cheated on his wife and dragged her through hell and back, and still manages to look her in the eyes without any shame.

    • 1 year ago
  • figgdimension
    • +4
      figgdimension  
    • timetide:

      its better than doing nothing at least it gets public awareness and sometimes public opinion can make even douche-bags do the honorable thing I have faith maybe Im a fool but its better than apathy

    • 1 year ago
  • wolfess
  • Paratus
    • -5
      Paratus  

    • Reportedly she stepped down in December so no more financial ties. If he recuses himself based on this Kagen must also due to her ties to the Obama administration unless we are to use the argument that since Kagen in now in SCOTUS she in no longer financially tied to the administration.
      I don't see a problem here unless it is with the left trying to gain a larger advantage when the court grants cert which is what I firmly believe is behind this.

    • 1 year ago
  • JacklynD
    • +1
      JacklynD  
    • Paratus:

      The Supreme Court Justices of the United States are appointed for life specifically to keep them from being influenced by special interests and affected by partisanship. 9 judges sit on a court that represents 309 million Americans. The very least we can expect is for our judges to be as unbiased as possible and to keep away from party politics. It is an unbelievable honor and sacred duty supposedly given to the finest intellects and most honorable people in our nation. The lack of understanding, grace, gratitude and commitment by the Thomas' makes me recoil. Scalia is no better, probably worse because he himself is an activist with strong ties to the Koch family.

      Personally, not only should Thomas recuse himself but he should be impeached. And yes, I do believe that Supreme Court Justices can be impeached.

    • 1 year ago
  • Paratus
    • -2
      Paratus  
    • JacklynD:

      I am VERY familiar with how SCOTUS works and is supposed to work. I find your racist rant against Justice Thomas disturbing. God only knows what you would attempt to impeach him for. By the way, Scalia is an excellent judicial mind. I don't agree with all his positions but he is an outstanding jurist. I especially liked his position and reasoning on the Kelo decision. As far as ties go how about we get rid of Ginsburg. After all, we dont' need an former lawyer for the American Criminal Lawyers Union on the court.

    • 1 year ago
  • JacklynD
    • 0
      JacklynD  
    • Paratus:

      There is nothing racist in my opinion about Clarence Thomas. He is inadequate in every way for the position he holds. There is something very different in being a former lawyer for the American Criminal Lawyers Union and being a current lackey for special interest groups and the whackos that make up the GOP's lap dogs in the Tea Party.

    • 1 year ago
  • Nancy_J_Powell
  • Progresshiv
  • KSirys
  • figgdimension
  • figgdimension
  • Rightor
    • +2
      Rightor  
    • figgdimension:

      Would you please post or send me the link as well. My daughter goes to Brandeis and it was a zoo when Ginny Thomas called Anita Hill. This man has GOT to have some conscience? Nah, what was I thinking?

    • 1 year ago
  • Rightor
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