U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Thomas’ wife reportedly thanked group for fighting Supreme Court reform
Conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas walks during a break in a voluntary interview Sept. 29, 2022, in Washington, D.C., with the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta/The Associated Press)
Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, the wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, thanked a religious liberty group in an email for fighting Supreme Court reform, according to a recording of a call led by the group’s president and CEO.
Kelly Shackelford, leader of the First Liberty Institute, a group that litigates religious liberty cases, said he was reading from parts of Ginni Thomas’ email in his July 31 donor call, according to a story by ProPublica and Documented, which obtained the recording.
Thomas reportedly sent the email soon after President Joe Biden proposed three reforms: term limits for Supreme Court justices, a binding ethics code for the justices, and a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s recent decision on presidential immunity.
Thomas reportedly wrote to a staff member of the First Liberty Institute after a meeting.
“I cannot adequately express enough appreciation for you guys pulling into reacting to the Biden effort on the Supreme Court,” she wrote in the email, according to Shackelford. “Many were so depressed at the lack of response by R’s and conservatives” to reform proposals.
“You guys have filled the sails of many judges. Can I just tell you, thank you so, so, so much,” Thomas reportedly wrote in all capital letters.
Shackelford also criticized Justice Elena Kagan during the call for endorsing an enforcement mechanism for the Supreme Court’s new ethics code.
“That is incredible, somewhat treasonous, what Kagan did,” he said. “The chief justice rules the court. They’re trying to keep the other branches’ hands off of them. And then you’ve got Kagan from the inside really being somewhat disloyal and somewhat treasonous in what she’s doing.”
Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel at the First Liberty Institute, issued a statement in response to a request for comment by ProPublica and Documented.
“First Liberty is extremely alarmed at the leftist attacks on our democracy and judicial independence and is fighting to bring attention to this dangerous threat. It’s shameful that the political left seems perfectly fine destroying democracy to achieve the court decisions they favor instead of working through democratic and constitutional means,” Sasser wrote. “It is dangerous to the liberty of all Americans, regardless of political leanings, for any of the co-equal branches of government to seek to rule over another. Eighty-seven percent of Americans believe judicial independence is essential to protecting our civil rights. We will continue this fight for the future of our nation.”
Hat tip to How Appealing and Above the Law, which noted the story.
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