Amidst calls for his impeachment by some Democrats, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has found an unlikely defender – Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Sotomayor offered praise for her colleague, stating he is a very personable individual who “cares deeply” about the integrity of the court.
“Justice Thomas is the one justice in the building that literally knows every employee’s name, every one of them,” she told attendees of the American Constitution Society’s 2022 national convention on Thursday.
“And not only does he know their names, he remembers their families’ names and histories.”
She said despite their differences of opinion on how to help people, they maintain a friendship because she knows Thomas is a “man who cares deeply about the court as an institution … about the people who work here.”
As the Supreme Court prepares for the end of the most tumultuous term in decades, Justice Sonia Sotomayor says she and Justice Clarence Thomas share a “common understanding about people and kindness” https://t.co/523bw0VLOE
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 17, 2022
RELATED: AOC Calls To Impeach Clarence Thomas, The Only Black Supreme Court Justice
Sonia Sotomayor Defends Clarence Thomas
Sonia Sotomayor’s kind words towards Clarence Thomas were a rare moment of positivity for the longest-serving justice, the second black justice, and the most conservative member currently serving on the Supreme Court.
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Sotomayor hasn’t always lobbed kindness towards conservatives on the Supreme Court, however.
In oral arguments regarding Roe v. Wade, she suggested the Court was not considering the law itself, but rather seeking to pursue its reversal due to the makeup of the justices.
“Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?” she asked.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a consistent supporter of abortion rights, grilled Mississippi’s solicitor general, asking whether the institution of the Supreme Court would “survive the stench” of overturning Roe in what would appear to be a political act. https://t.co/sbHcIObnjQ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 1, 2021
They Want Him Gone
Sonia Sotomayor’s comment comes as Democrats have been actively calling for Thomas’ impeachment due to the alleged conduct of his wife, Virginia Thomas.
Reports have surfaced that Thomas’ wife exchanged text messages with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and other officials about alleged election fraud.
Clarence Thomas should resign.
If not, his failure to disclose income from right-wing organizations, recuse himself from matters involving his wife, and his vote to block the Jan 6th commission from key information must be investigated and could serve as grounds for impeachment.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 29, 2022
A petition by the far-left group MoveOn.org calling for Thomas’ impeachment has eclipsed 236,000 signatures. Politico reports that House Democrats are “outraged” over the situation with his wife and they have the option to impeach.
Far-left Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is demanding Thomas resign or face impeachment for what she has determined are ethical breaches.
“Clarence Thomas should resign,” AOC tweeted.
“If not, his failure to disclose income from right-wing organizations, recuse himself from matters involving his wife, and his vote to block the Jan 6th commission from key information must be investigated and could serve as grounds for impeachment.”
SOTOMAYOR: “Over 100,000 children” are hospitalized due to COVID, with “many on ventilators”
BRET BAIER: “The number’s not 100,000. It’s roughly 3,500 in hospitals now?”
WALENSKY: “Yes.”
How did Sotomayor make it on the Supreme Court?pic.twitter.com/ANapx1MbCq
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 9, 2022
Sotomayor made a widely panned false claim about the seriousness of COVID infection in children during oral arguments over the Biden administration’s efforts to mandate vaccines.
“We have over 100,000 children, which we’ve never had before, in serious condition, and many on ventilators” due to the coronavirus, she said.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky would later state that the Supreme Court Justice was wrong, pointing out at the time there were 3,500 children in the hospital.
Thomas meanwhile, joked to the media about when he’d be leaving the Supreme Court.
Clarence Thomas says he’s told the media for a long time that he’ll leave his job when he gets as bad at it as the media is at theirs. This is great: pic.twitter.com/mjh9ozaxuV
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 16, 2022
“One of the things I’d say in response to the media is when they talk about, especially early on, about the way I did my job, I said ‘I will absolutely leave the court when I do my job as poorly as you do yours,’” he recalled. “And that was meant as a compliment really.”
The audience erupted in laughter.
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