Anthony Weiner Tweet-Taunts Clarence Thomas About Financial Records News Dump

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) spent his Friday afternoon pestering Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for executing a classic news dump: a release of his financial disclosure filing on the eve of Memorial Day Weekend.

The Congressman spent the day tweeting to his heart's content, first alerting his 43,000-plus followers to the likelihood that someone on the Court was going to try and bury an embarrassing story while the world's attention was turned toward the commute and barbecue ahead:

"Friday dump Scotus style? I'm hearing disclosures released today. #ConflictsAbound," he tweeted.

Shortly thereafter, Weiner let it be known that it was Thomas whose financial disclosure filing he was awaiting. Around 4:30, he had a link to send, showing that Thomas had served on the Board of Directors for the nonprofit Horatio Alger Association and had made $10,000 for a speech at University of Minnesota School of Law.

The real conflict, if there was one, was with his wife Ginni, who earned "Salary and benefits" from Liberty Central and Liberty Consulting -- prominent Tea Party Groups. The filing also revealed that the two share several financial investments, including 1/3 interest in rental property in Liberty City, Georgia, and a 401k plan. Thomas went on to note that, "two of the Georgia rental properties have been torn down. The only remaining property is an old house in Liberty County."

clarencet


All in all, the file told a fairly well traversed story. It's been known for several months now that Thomas's wife -- whose employment at Liberty and the Heritage Foundation had not been disclosed on prior documents -- presents ethical questions for the cases he chooses to handle as a Supreme Court Justice. " Spouse of #ConflictedClarenceThomas has every right to work for whomever, but he must recuse himself," Weiner tweeted, reiterating his belief that Thomas' should not rule on cases regarding the constitutionality of the health care reform law, due to a potential conflict of interest.

That said, the issue of whether this was some sort of nefarious news dump on the Justice's part isn't as crystal clear as Weiner suggested. The date on the financial disclosure file is May 13, meaning that it's been filed with the Court for several weeks. Who chose to release it on Friday afternoon isn't clear. Politico's Ken Vogel blamed the Court clerk, to which Weiner, ever the cynic, replied: " Without the bosses knowlege [sic] or Ok? Cmon."

The Huffington Post reached out to Weiner's office to ask why he spent his day obsessing over this singular task. They did not immediately return that request. The office did, however, put out a press release stating that the disclosure from Thomas came after "months of pressure" from the Congressman.

“We knew that Justice Thomas’s family had a financial stake in opposing health care reform. Now we know even more,” Weiner said. “It’s pretty clear the Justice has one option here: recusal.”

Here is a sampling of his tweets:

FIRST:

What's #ConflictedClarenceThomas hiding? Friday dump scotus styleless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyAnthony Weiner
RepWeiner

SECOND:

Friday dump Scotus style? I'm hearing disclosures released today. #ConflictsAboundless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyAnthony Weiner
RepWeiner

THIRD:

Pretty crazy that the Scotus does a pre memorial day friday dumping of its financial disclosure forms. #ButImOnTheCaseless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyAnthony Weiner
RepWeiner

FOURTH:

http://scr.bi/mwJ4IG #ConflictedClarenceThomas dumps his conflicts forms on friday before memorial day. #AhFreshAirless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyAnthony Weiner
RepWeiner

Comments

[Andres Mauricio Lefevre]

11:39 AM on 06/17/2011

It is perverted how many politicians can have had affairs, sex with maids, leave their Cancer ridden wives for mistresses, are the cheerleaders for Corporations and enemy of the working man and this is the worst thing to happen to the world right now? Weiner's only crime of being horny (what a shock for a "Man") has been bettered by Catholic priests, Christian Evangelists, Super Conservatives, past Presidents and current GOP presidential candidates that actually had sex with young boys (Catholics), super models (Presidents), interns (Presidents), prostitutes (Christian evangelists), maids (Rep. Arnie Shwaga Swaga) and mistresses (GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich and many other Repulicans and Democrats everywhere).

Perversion? Really? This bit of news was a few weeks fodder for the media and the easily shocked, sheltered and uninformed. If only America could keep its focus.

[OBroadhurst]

05:34 PM on 06/03/2011

This is clearly why Breitbart is on yet another lying spree.

[mp146]

05:10 AM on 06/04/2011

exactly

[Hugebrass]

12:52 PM on 06/06/2011

And what exactly is Breitbart lying about this time? That%u2019s right. Nothing.

I think that it's hilarious when you Progressives get cornered (which happens all the time) and then resort in deflection and diversion from the topic at hand (which is Anthony's Weiner).

[OBroadhurst]

02:24 PM on 06/06/2011

Breitbart always lies, and always has. You know that.

[OBroadhurst]

04:09 PM on 06/06/2011

It was an arm.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/05/982416/-The-Photo-Is-Upside-Down-%28NSFW%29

[bobby53542]

06:25 PM on 06/02/2011

Anthony Weiner Tweet Account, Facebook Account, email adress and all Anthony Weiner websites
www.cheatsden.com/?p=1914

[JTNealinDC]

11:54 AM on 05/31/2011

So, Clarence Thomas is not supposed to associate or be married to a sentient person? Of course his wife has political views, and so does Justice Thomas and so does Justice Kagan. That does not disqualify any of them. There is no direct conflict of interest. Read more > http://wp.me/p1jTK0-3l

And for Weiner to attempt to bring this kind of political pressure to bear against a sitting justice tells us that Mr. Weiner has no grasp for the true meaning of the words "rule of law." He clearly believes that the law and the rules should be flexible so that HIS views will prevail. Everything to him is political, and nothing is established law.

[relay73]

12:53 PM on 05/31/2011

His wife works for a Tea Party advocacy group. This does not disqualify him but it is UNETHICAL for a judge not to recuse himself when their is a conflict between personal and professional. The Supreme Court is supposed to be the last line of defense for ethics, not the first on the battlefield.

[JTNealinDC]

04:21 PM on 05/31/2011

Nothing unethical about any of the actions of the Thomas family. You missed the main point - that Weiner's politicizing this question is the problem. Mr. Thomas nor any other judge can be expected to have no life (did you read the link?)

[Hugebrass]

01:14 PM on 05/31/2011

Perfectly stated. Fanned.

[Totto]

01:49 PM on 05/31/2011

Impeach those who lied about "stare decisis".

[sensimilla]

11:24 AM on 05/31/2011

Thomas, Alito, Scalia, Roberts are a travesty to the court. They have no right to be there and are throwing our constitution to the c0rporatist wolves..

[Hugebrass]

01:26 PM on 05/31/2011

Yeah. Let's put even more Progressives on the court so we can be just like all of the other failed states who went down this road to Socialism. Who needs "unalienable rights,” “pursuit of happiness” and liberty and private property, anyway?

I’m astonished at the complete lack of constitutional knowledge you and yours possess.

It’s a daily event here on HP where the Lefties reveal who they really are. It’s not Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachman or George Bush or Anthony Scalia or Citizens United anyone else in particular that you’re after – because it’s not about an individual. What you’re really after is the Constitution. All of it. It’s in your way and it has to be redefined and then re-redefined as you see fit.

And that’s the rub, isn’t it? We’re in your way and we’re not going to let your vision of our country become reality. It’s why you truly hate the Right.

[Excalibre]

02:18 PM on 05/31/2011

Oh, please. Is there any criticism of the left that's actually legitimate, rather than paranoid fantasies about what those EVIL LIBERALS are secretly trying to do?

[sensimilla]

02:24 PM on 05/31/2011

You have no idea about me, my voting philiosophy or my ethics. However, you make blanket statements about voters which are quite facetious, spurious and ignorant. I value our liberties and our personal rights, NOT the rights of corporations to supercede them.

You are astonished any time TRUTH overcomes truthiness, right?

What is wrong with myopic closed minded thinkers like y0u? Any help to the people means "socialism"? We presently live in the c0rp0ratist States of America, with the highest defense budget in history, and a financial industry that just got away with destroying our economy. Thanks to the ignorance of voters such as yourself, c0rporations pay the lowest taxes in history, bribe our elected officials like never before, and can now pay their bribes in the open with impunity.

Y0ur ignorance is amazing, not to mention y0u typical rightwing propaganda spouting ego.

And what do Y0U know about the constitution? Nothing that your idols Rush, Beck and Hannity haven't told you.

Btw, Obama is a CENTRIST, FAR from being left wing.

[Totto]

09:32 AM on 05/31/2011

More about Clarence Thomas' favorite author:
http://www.alternet.org/books/145819/ayn_rand,_hugely_popular_author_and_inspiration_to_right-wing_leaders,_was_a_big_admirer_of_serial_killer/

[Hugebrass]

10:56 AM on 05/31/2011

It's always the same with you and yours - attack the messenger rather than the message. Blah Blah Blah, Koch, Blah Blah Blah, Ayn Rand...

What ever happened to Halliburton?

It really gets tiresome...

[Totto]

12:49 PM on 05/31/2011

Sociopaths of a feather flock together.

[Totto]

12:55 PM on 05/31/2011

Bullocks.

[Hugebrass]

08:45 AM on 05/31/2011

Yeah... I get it... As Solicitor General, Kagan was actively participating in the legal defence of Obamacare and Weiner and the rest are concerned that she'll have to recuse herself. So, in a premptive move, they go after Thomas' wife.

I mean, it wasn't as if Kagan was married to the Solicitor General, SHE WAS the Solicitor General.

Weiner is far more effective tweeting pictures of his junk to young, easily impressed coed's, rather than influencing those of us who are actually paying attention.

[sensimilla]

11:25 AM on 05/31/2011

thomas and his "wife" deserve to be investigated. They are FAR FAR FAR from unbiased.

[Hugebrass]

01:11 PM on 05/31/2011

You sound like the thought police. "Investigated"? Really?

Keep dreaming. There's nothing there. Like the fantasy that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld will soon face "war crimes" charges, this too will remain only a topic of the Left.

[Excalibre]

02:20 PM on 05/31/2011

Lol, it's kinda ironic that you bring up sexual harassment here. Since Weiner didn't do that, and Clarence Thomas is well known for what he did.

[Hugebrass]

10:28 PM on 05/31/2011

What exactly is Clarence Thomas "well known" for doing? Oh yeah... He allegedly said, "Who put this pubic hair on my coke". Wow. By today's standards, he'd likely been given an award for chivalry.

Anita Hill, Joe Biden and the rest of the conspirators FAILED to derail the conservative nominee – which was what it was all about. There was a solid effort, for sure. But the attempted “Borking” by the Left to prevent a constitutionalist from being approved by the senate failed. The public simply didn’t buy the story.

Now, let’s get to Weiner….

Weiner (man, I just love how his name fits into this narrative perfectly) Tweets a picture of his junk to a Follower, but inadvertently sends it world wide. OK. He’s not a big Family Values guy so let’s just say that that’s between Weiner and the Follower (and his new wife, I guess…). Weiner now is claiming that his account was “hacked”, but he’s not calling for a formal investigation by the F.B.I.

I sure would if someone did that to my political career!

[Hugebrass]

11:02 AM on 06/03/2011

By the way, sending unsolicited lewd photographs to someone is absolutely a violation of the law. It's considered the same as flashing.

[Hugebrass]

08:55 AM on 05/31/2011

What's really hilarious is that Weiner wants New York to get one of the coveted exemptions/waivers from Obamacare, while he thrusts it upon the rest of us.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110324/pl_ac/8135546_ny_rep_anthony_weiner_may_seek_obamacare_waiver

[raven119]

08:17 AM on 05/31/2011

Recuse himself?...the way George H.W. Bush appointees did when they voted George W. Bush into office? There were no conflicts there either, right?

SCOTUS no longer makes fair and reasoned decisions (Citizens United, anybody?) but are enmeshed in politics, ideology and money. Justice, if it comes, is an unforeseen side benefit. We are all owned by the corporations -- SCOTUS, WalMart -- what is the difference?

[carsrus]

08:21 AM on 05/31/2011

NOTICE-Nothing on HUFF-AOL about THAT! They will NEVER print negatives about the uber-left! Well, let's see if he RESIGNS from this one!

[demsrsilly]

08:51 AM on 05/31/2011

Yes, not surprising at all.

[Janet Anderson]

05:57 AM on 05/31/2011

of course Thomas won't recluse himself. That's his deal with his wife's employers. I think the judges should have debates like the other candidates and then let the people choose.

[lew]

03:03 AM on 05/31/2011

Old Uncle Clarence,cashing them big checks, all the while professing his neutrality while his wife runs around shooting off her mouth (and cashing big checks, which of course he fails to mention on his taxes for several years) inciting those Tea Baggers, who we all know are completely unbiased. Yes, it's a hard life for The Justice and the missus these days, with some people actually expecting ethical behavior from a Supreme Court Justice. Why would anybody see anything shady about their behavior? Anybody with any ethics of their own, that is.

[logicalllylogical]

01:26 AM on 05/31/2011

This is just political showmanship. There is a reason federal judges are appointed for life and cannot have their salaries reduced by congress, to avoid ruling or making decisions based on political pressures.

Weiner knows this, this is all for show. Move along people.

[Lise Stanley]

02:38 AM on 05/31/2011

So what is to stop him from making rulings to help out his wifes earnings? Seems to me when she goes about touting the fact she is married to the man making the big decissions on the laws that her groups are bringing before the court.. that IS and issue and he should recuse himself. This is not all show.....

[Veri]

11:34 AM on 05/31/2011

It is show for those who unequivocally support Republican/Tea Party causes. Of course, there is just no convincing the ideological slaves. Even if it is political showmanship, it is showmanship that exposes the hypocrisy of the Ruling Class.

What Republicans and Tea Baggers always seem to forget, as evidenced in some posts regarding the fake photos sent from Weiner's hacked twitter account, is that Weiner will face the same political showmanship from Conservatives should they happen. So far, the only thing he has had to face is a porn-obsessed Conservative who hacked his Twitter.

[Jack Starr]

02:44 AM on 05/31/2011

What does judges being appointed for life have to do with a conflict of interest? What does not having their salaries reduced have to do with a conflict of interest? Nothing you mentioned has anything to do with Justice Thomas having a conflict of interest with the health care law and the fact that he should recuse himself accordingly.

[bobby53542]

06:17 PM on 06/02/2011

of course Thomas won't recluse himself. That's his deal with his wife's employers. I think the judges should have debates like the other candidates and then let the people choose.

[demsrsilly]

07:16 AM on 05/31/2011

Appalling that racist comments like yours are not deleted.

[JEP57]

07:38 AM on 05/31/2011

Conservatives routinely get called racists but when a liberal calls a blck man an U.ncle T.om, then everything's groovy. Hypocr.ite.

[hoho5973]

12:41 AM on 05/31/2011

.......anyway, back to my bbq