Activism of Thomas’s Wife Could Raise Judicial Issues

[babylonsister]

What do you know; somebody finally noticed.


Activism of Thomas’s Wife Could Raise Judicial Issues
Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

Virginia Thomas, left, of the organization Liberty Central, and Diana Reimer, in May lobbying against the health care bill.
By JACKIE CALMES
Published: October 8, 2010


RICHMOND, Va. — As one of the keynote speakers here Friday at a state convention billed as the largest Tea Party event ever, Virginia Thomas gave the throng of more than 2,000 activists a full-throated call to arms for conservative principles.

For three decades, Mrs. Thomas has been a familiar figure among conservative activists in Washington — since before she met her husband of 23 years, Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court. But this year she has emerged in her most politically prominent role yet: Mrs. Thomas is the founder and head of a new nonprofit group, Liberty Central, dedicated to opposing what she characterizes as the leftist “tyranny” of President Obama and Democrats in Congress and to “protecting the core founding principles” of the nation.

It is the most partisan role ever for a spouse of a justice on the nation’s highest court, and Mrs. Thomas is just getting started. “Liberty Central will be bigger than the Tea Party movement,” she told Fox News in April, at a Tea Party rally in Atlanta.

But to some people who study judicial ethics, Mrs. Thomas’s activism is raising knotty questions, in particular about her acceptance of large, unidentified contributions for Liberty Central. She began the group in late 2009 with two gifts of $500,000 and $50,000, and because it is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group, named for the applicable section of the federal tax code, she does not have to publicly disclose any contributors. Such tax-exempt groups are supposed to make sure that less than half of their activities are political.


more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/us/politics/09thomas.html?_r=1&hp

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. The question is

will somebody care enough to do something? :shrug: I have a feeling that we won't hear much more about this and that Thomas will remain completely "dispassionate about any issues that his wife is actively working on.

:eyes::sarcasm:

[COLGATE4]

2. Don't forget when Scalia refused to recuse himself while hearing

a case in which he had a personal interest. They aren't called the 'Supremes' for nothing. Nothing and nobody can really make them do anything they don't want to do. And although I completely agree with you that Thomas' 'charming' wife is setting up a clear case of conflict of interest, I don't see where any remedy lies.

[FSogol]

3. Simple: Impeach Scalia and Thomas.

:shrug:

[CTLawGuy]

4. if the fact that Thomas' wife...

*WAS WORKING FOR THE BUSH TRANSITION TEAM* while the Bush v. Gore was before the Supreme Court didn't require Thomas to recuse himself, then I don't know if ANYTHING would.

[Cosmocat]

5. R v D double standard ...

If one of the non conservative judges had a spouse who was as politically active as Thomas' wife, the Rs would be going batsnot crazy, and the "liberal" media would give them full access to scream about it ...