In a recently posted video message, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), whose committee roles include a spot on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, joined calls for the resignation of Clarence Thomas from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thomas has been the subject of a series of media reports implicating him in allegedly far-reaching corruption including unreported gifts like pricey travel from individuals who could have had a political agenda to push with the judge. And more recent reporting suggested that some of the previous and largely off-the-books perks that Thomas received came specifically after he expressed concerns about his financial situation, creating the appearance of both sides getting something especially beneficial out of these reported circumstances.
“Every piece of news that comes out about Clarence Thomas’ corruption reveals that billionaires have a tighter and further-reaching grip on him than the public previously thought possible,” Merkley said, adding: “A Justice with no ethics doesn’t belong on the court. And that’s why Thomas should resign.”
Others to prominently push for Thomas’ resignation include Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), who serves on the House Judiciary Committee. And still others have pushed for Thomas to recuse himself — meaning withdraw — from particular considerations of the court, specifically decisions in a criminal case against Donald Trump from Special Counsel Jack Smith at the federal Justice Department. The case deals with Trump’s attempts after the last presidential election to stay in power despite losing, and Thomas’ own wife Ginni was avidly in support of those ambitions at the time, even engaging in discussions oriented around that end with Mark Meadows, who was then the White House’s chief of staff.
Meadows was criminally charged in Georgia for his own alleged role in Trump’s election plots. The concept with the Justice is that Ginni’s connection could facilitate an improper conflict of interest, swaying his decision-making to be more favorable to Trump.
