Ginni Thomas went too far

[riversedge]

Ginni Thomas went too far

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/05/opinions/ginni-thomas-ethics-williams/index.html


Opinion by Elliot Williams Updated 8:39 PM ET, Fri February 5, 2021
Supreme Court justice's wife sparked past controversy (2018)

Supreme Court justice's wife sparked past controversy (2018) 02:27

"Elliot Williams is a CNN legal analyst. He is a former deputy assistant attorney general at the Justice Department and a principal at The Raben Group, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm. Follow him on Twitter @elliotcwilliams. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN."

(CNN)It's a free country, and people are entitled to hold whatever wacky views they want. However, when those people are, say, married to a sitting Supreme Court justice, they shouldn't be surprised if expressing those views comes with a serious cost. Justice Clarence Thomas's wife, Ginni, put that notion to the test this week.

According to The Washington Post, early in the morning on Jan. 6, Thomas urged her Facebook followers to watch the news of that day's pro-Trump rally at the Capitol on conservative media sites. "LOVE MAGA people!!!!" she wrote. Later, she sent more encouragement: "GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU STANDING UP or PRAYING." Then, as thousands of pro-Trump rioters overran the Capitol, and things took a deadly turn she likely didn't anticipate, Thomas is reported to have added, "[Note: written before violence in US Capitol]."

[My note in response: If you have to update your social media posts to distance yourself from seditionist chaos at events you knowingly promoted, it's time to stop promoting such events. Or rethink your views.]

Thomas's behavior exposes two things: how fringe views have now eclipsed mainstream conservative thought in America; and how weak the standards are for policing the conduct of Supreme Court justices and their spouses.

Thomas's recent posts -- and other political conduct -- rankled some of her husband's former staff members who belong to a private "Thomas Clerk World" email list, according to the Post report. Ms. Thomas sent a lengthy apology to the list, writing that "My passions and beliefs are likely shared with the bulk of you, but certainly not all...Let's pledge to not let politics divide THIS family, and learn to speak more gently and knowingly across the divide." She continued that "I would ask those of you on the contrary side to have grace and mercy on those on my side of the polarized world."
Gentleness, grace and mercy are noble sentiments. But Thomas is being disingenuous. She has a long history of incendiary rhetoric, particularly online. Was she really "speaking knowingly and gently across the divide" last summer, when she referred to the Black Lives Matter protesters as "radical extremists" who "hate America"?
Was she attempting to heal the "polarized" world when regularly sharing baseless memes accusing Democrats of engaging in "a silent coup...against the very premises of our constitutional republic," advancing the anti-Semitic trope of a Democratic Party run by the Soros family? When she speaks of her "side" is she speaking about the one that showed up at the Capitol building armed with nooses, gallows and riot gear, calling out threats for members of Congress they said they wanted to punish, and trashing the seat of our democracy? Or is she talking about some other side?
Is the rhetoric from a Justice's wife too far right?

Is the rhetoric from a Justice's wife too far right? 04:52


Notably absent from Ginni Thomas's finger-wagging about healing and pleas for mercy is a renunciation of the view that got us here in the first place: The lie that somehow the 2020 election was stolen and that it is an act of patriotism to continue to challenge it. It is a little rich, in the week that a Capitol Police officer who gave his life on Jan. 6 lay in honor at the Capitol Building, for a leading combatant in the cooked-up culture wars to have a sudden epiphany about the need for civility in government...................

[marble falls]

1. Ms Thomas has been over the line for the 30 years I known of her.

[leftieNanner]

2. We Seriously Need A Code of Ethics for SCOTUS!

Scalia was bad too.

Ginni Thomas is toxic. I hope her husband retires soon.

[ymetca]

3. A real Koch Bros. tool, that one

Bought and paid for by the Ayn Randian wing of the Republican party, with a dash of supply-side Jesus on top.

[orangecrush]

4. KICK...

[Bluethroughu]

5. Accountability for EVERYONE involved in the Seditious Conspiracy

If the get away driver goes to prison for second degree murder after a killing, then why does she get a pass for funding and organizing this event? NO.

Standards of conduct are part of Ethics, it was unethical to continue a LIE, that rump won the election. She is a Supreme Court justice's wife, she lent credibility to the LIE!


After getting an angry mob all worked up on that "Save America" LIE, they were directed to go to the Capital and lose everything and fight...Cruz, BROOKS, and Hawely along with the other Representatives in Congress that continue to LIE!

He should resign and she should be held criminally accountable. This is our Country we are talking about! Seditious Conspiracy by insurrection! THIS IS NOT OKAY.

[LisaM]

6. She was on the GWB inauguration committee meeting!

Clarence Thomas should have recused himself from Bush v. Gore and didn't, they are both self-serving and lack a moral compass.

[gibraltar72]

7. POS with links to Hillsdale College.

[tanyev]

8. How about you completely withdraw from all political activism, Ginni?

Something you should have done as soon as Clarence was nominated.

[mountain grammy]

9. I hope this story doesn't go away..

would like to see a deep dive by 60 Minutes or some other.

Thomas is tired. He should retire and enjoy his motorhome.

[Evolve Dammit]

10. Ginny Thomas went too far a long time ago. Anita Hill was right. Ginny married a GOP dong.

"Long Dong Silver" to be exact; Clarence's porn hero. Wonder what the attraction actually was?

[stuffmatters]

11. In Citizens U, she & hubby commited judicial insider trading.

Ginni (via Clarence) knew in advance &got the organizing and fundraising(millions of dollars!) jump on all the other RWers.

[Blue Owl]

12. K&R