Virginia Thomas Assumes Role Of De Facto Tea Party Lobbyist

Politico:

She started as a congressional aide in the 1980s, became a midlevel Republican operative, then briefly left politics, reemerging in 2009 as founder of a tea party group before stepping down amid continued questions about whether her actions were appropriate for the spouse of a Supreme Court justice.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[JackHoffman]

12:16 PM on 02/08/2011

Impeach And Prosecute Justice Clarence Thomas For Corruption

http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1068.php

[Linda from Deerfield]

01:18 PM on 02/07/2011

This woman, who is a lawyer, does not seem to be an admirable person lending dignity to the U.S. system of justice, yet according to Wikipedia, in the late 1980's she successfully extracted herself from an organization that is generally recognized as a cult, using mind control techniques common to cults, and she spent some time warning others about such techniques and organizations. Assuming it is true, it inspires some grudging admiration.

I am particularly fascinated in the cult connection because of her deep tea party links and the cult like aspects I see in the tea party. I am not just saying this to be mean, I am saying it as an honest reaction to what tea party association did to my friend, transforming a warm, decent human being and fun conversationalist into a hateful, bigoted, totally mean and paranoid person that no normal person would want to be around. Whatever else might have been going on in her life, it always seemed to me to be tea party ideas at the focus of her new, raging self.

So then, one has to ask -- is Ms. Thomas, who has shown herself to be a particularly vulnerable person, falling victim to cult techniques used by the tea party, or worse yet, does she apply what she learned about mind control to aid the tea party and earn a tidy sum in the process?

[katylied]

07:51 AM on 02/07/2011

Is anyone surprised? This court walks around with impunity and our only hope is a couple more nominations in the next six years.

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

07:39 AM on 02/07/2011

An ethical judge would recuse himself at the first instance of the appearance of a conflict of interest in order to maintain the integrity of the court. But, of course, ethical and integrity, are two words that are not in Clarence Thomas' vocabulary. The man not only lacks the morality to be a supreme court justice but the intellectual capacity as well. He is an embarassment.

[Michael Valentine]

09:01 PM on 02/06/2011

Impeach.

[PGonz]

06:32 PM on 02/06/2011

Ginny Thomas is most directly cashing in on Justice Thomas' clear decision regarding Citizens United. She is making money, personally and for Justice Thomas, as a result of his actions on the bench. But Supreme Court justices have no accountability. The ordinary American citizen loses if a Supreme Court justice goes corrupt. We are in just such an era right now.

But please remember that your activism and vote can make a difference over time. Speak out. Attend your party caucuses when they come around. And please do not fail to vote, from dog catcher to president.

[tulsey]

05:45 PM on 02/06/2011

We still believe you Anita.

[innerpuppie]

01:27 PM on 02/06/2011

Don't tell me that with this blatant display of political leaning that this man makes ANY decisions that are not partisan. What a corrupt high court we have...so sad.

[CitizenRA]

12:55 PM on 02/06/2011

Didn't think lobbyists and influence peddling is what the Tea Party stood for.

[jimfl]

10:11 AM on 02/06/2011

She is an embarrassment to the United States and he should step down

[lindabear]

08:08 AM on 02/06/2011

He needs to step down as a judge NOW.

[parlimentMike]

05:24 AM on 02/06/2011

There's no conflict of interest there Clarence is just a vote for wrong whenever it counts anyway.

[Captimprobable]

01:54 AM on 02/06/2011

There may be situations that in your past, or present, create conflicts of interest in any number of ways. An honorable person, who reveres the law and their position, does not and will not hesitate to recuse themselves if those situations are A: currently to close to home and hang heavy with impropriety, and B: have documented past rulings that reflect an inability to be neutral, to the case in question.

When you have a spouse, whom you live with, who is a very vocal advocate and participant in the political arena, it behooves you as a SCOTUS to pay special care and attention to your spouses activities that will draw focus on your potential to remain neutral, to the American people watching, while entertaining or hearing cases that fall directly within the framework of your spouses political causes or motivations.

It just looks bad all around. Thomas may indeed be able to stay completely neutral during any proceedings...BUT...as the wife of a supreme court justice, there is also an expectation that you will not publicly infringe or potentially call into question your spouses abilities to rule fairly.

Past Justices wives have participate in political fashion, but when you start spewing political invectives, it just looks, REALLY bad.

[tulsey]

09:55 PM on 02/05/2011

SCOTUS appointments. Why POTUS is so importments.

[tulsey]

06:09 PM on 02/06/2011

Interesting my comment pops up 20 hours after I make it.

[oldgeek1]

05:00 PM on 02/05/2011

No conflict of interest of Justice Thomas on any case --- I wonder what Senator Hatch thinks about this?

[LALC]

12:40 AM on 02/06/2011

Yeah, the conflict of interest thing stinks to high heaven!