Justice Thomas Faces Disbarment Complaint

After the reports of ongoing questionable conduct by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas including attending political functions and failing to disclose his wife’s income for decades, the embattled justice now faces a disbarment complaint in Missouri.

The complaint alleges that Thomas breached his duty and violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by knowingly and willfully failing for 20 years to state truthfully his wife’s income. The complaint also alleges that Thomas also labored under a financial conflict of interest by failing to disclose $100,000 in support of his nomination by the Citizens United Foundation when he heard the now-infamous Citizens United case. Finally, the complaint alleges, Justice Thomas made ruling that his wife benefited from financially and professionally and that, by extension, benefited him.

It’s not a surprise to see this filing against Thomas. Good governance group Common Cause continues to pressure the Obama administration to investigate Thomas and others who are improperly politicking from the bench. And even the Christian Science Monitor has challenged Thomas to change course and help de-polticize the Court.

But if Thomas’ recent speech to the Federalist Society in Virginia is any indication, the notoriously silent justice won’t change course anytime soon. In fact, it appears as though he is oblivious to any wrongdoing and has chosen instead to play the victim by categorizing the charges against him as meritless and politically motivated.

Those of us who remember Justice Thomas’ confirmation hearings and the Anita Hill affair should hear in these statements a familiar narrative. Only unlike his confirmation hearing, those seeking to mitigate the influence of corporate cash in our political system–a direct result of Thomas’ rulings–do not intend to let this fight go.

photo courtesy of Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com via Flickr

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NAN V.

5:23AM PDT on Apr 17, 2011

Thomas is an absolute fraud!

send a green star

Lynn C.

7:19PM PST on Mar 12, 2011

Joshua I. Thank you for giving us the name of someone who sounds worthy of the robe.
I will study up on Leah Ward Sears.

Dean P.

9:49PM PST on Mar 10, 2011

Another stab at injustice.

Joshua I.

3:42PM PST on Mar 9, 2011

I hereby nominate Justice, Leah Ward Sears, for the U. S. Supreme Court. She would be a supreme replacement for Thomas, and she'll do more justice, and do more to protect the U. S. Constitution than Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson and MLK. So, for those who want a heads-up, and for those women who want a strong leader to protect womens rights, study up on Leah Ward Sears....

Helen D.

8:17AM PST on Mar 9, 2011

Sharon and Susan... all you needed to say is
Judge Thomas Swore
anything beyond that was irrelevant..

ruth a.

6:40AM PST on Mar 9, 2011

I was amazed to see 'EVEN Christian Science Monitor has challenged...'. CSM has been excellent at laying things out fairly and speaking out against wrongs.

Lynnette B.

11:04PM PST on Mar 8, 2011

Hopefully this will be his swan song.

Marilyn L.

1:48PM PST on Mar 8, 2011

I hope we can say goodbye to this crook soon.

Linda H.

10:13AM PST on Mar 8, 2011

No Tom Y, this didn't happen twenty years ago. It's been happening for twenty years running. He is a long time crook.The left didn't make him and is wife into tax frauds. He did that himself every time he filed a false return. Go ahead Tom keep filing $500,000 less than you made. See how long it takes them to mail you a letter.

William Y.

12:51AM PST on Mar 8, 2011

Tom Y. says "That's what it comes down to: their dislike of his conservative and libertarian leanings. Plus the opportunity to add a far-left jurist if they can force Thomas out. My, the power of hate..."

Yes I'd take a far-left over a far-right, but would really want judges who are centrist.