Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, conservative activist Virginia Thomas, arrive at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
(Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Jun 16, 2022
Progressive advocacy groups on Thursday intensified calls for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment after new reporting revealed that his wife, right-wing activist Ginni Thomas, corresponded with former President Donald Trump's attorney in the weeks between the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The Washington Post revealed that the House committee investigating the insurrection has received emails between Thomas and John Eastman that were sent around the time that the attorney pushed then-Vice President Mike Pence to block or delay the certification of the election results.
"We have discovered in those Eastman [emails] some information that refers to Ginni Thomas... We think it's time that we, at some point, invite her to come talk to the committee."
Eastman also said in an email with Trump campaign officials on December 24, 2020 that he had information about a disagreement among the Supreme Court justices over whether to hear arguments pertaining to the former president's claims of election fraud.
The Post did not reveal exactly what the correspondence between Thomas and Eastman said, but two people involved in the committee's investigation said it showed "that Thomas's efforts to overturn the election were more extensive than previously known."
On Thursday, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who chairs the January 6 committee, said the panel will "soon" ask Thomas to testify.
"We have discovered in those Eastman [emails] some information that refers to Ginni Thomas," Thompson said. "We think it's time that we, at some point, invite her to come talk to the committee."
Thomas has claimed that her work as a conservative activist is kept separate from her husband's Supreme Court work--for whom Eastman once served as a clerk.
With the news of the correspondence following earlier revelations about Thomas's push to overturn the election, however, Demand Justice issued a new call for Justice Thomas to be held accountable for what Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called "a conflict of interest [that] just screams at you."
\u201cNEW: Ginni Thomas corresponded with John Eastman, sources in Jan. 6 House investigation say.\n\nWe need the full story about the Thomas\u2019 role in the attempt to overturn the election, and we need Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment hearings.\n\nhttps://t.co/MWaskQgs02\u201d— Demand Justice (@Demand Justice) 1655343017
Demand Justice also released a poll Thursday revealing that a large majority of Americans backed an investigation into Justice Thomas "even before new reports showing Ginni Thomas may have leaked confidential information about the Supreme Court to a lawyer attempting to overturn the results of the election."
The poll, conducted by Hart Research Associates on behalf of the court reform group, found that 61% of respondents favored Congress opening an investigation.
\u201cNEW POLL: 61% of Americans say Congress should begin an investigation into Clarence Thomas' refusal so far to recuse himself in matters related to the 2020 election. \n\nSource: Nationwide survey of 1,603 voters conducted June 7-11, 2022 by @HartSurveys\u201d— Brian Fallon (@Brian Fallon) 1655389979
In addition to her correspondence with Eastman, Thomas wrote to at least 29 Arizona lawmakers after the election asking them to "choose" electors who would grant Trump a victory in the state and texted former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows dozens of times asking him to "save us from the left taking America down" by helping to reverse the election results.
Thomas has not recused himself from any cases in which his wife's activism could pose a conflict of interest and was the only justice to dissent when the high court rejected Trump's attempt to block the release of White House documents to the January 6 committee.
Democrats in Congress have demanded that Justice Thomas resign or face impeachment proceedings, but the party's leaders have not joined those calls.
It "feels like Democratic leaders are underestimating support for holding this court accountable," tweeted political strategist Sawyer Hackett.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
ginni thomasjanuary 6 insurrectionpoliticsjanuary 6virginia thomasclarence thomastrumpismbennie thompsonus supreme courtjanuary 6 committeejan 6 insurrection
Progressive advocacy groups on Thursday intensified calls for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment after new reporting revealed that his wife, right-wing activist Ginni Thomas, corresponded with former President Donald Trump's attorney in the weeks between the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The Washington Post revealed that the House committee investigating the insurrection has received emails between Thomas and John Eastman that were sent around the time that the attorney pushed then-Vice President Mike Pence to block or delay the certification of the election results.
"We have discovered in those Eastman [emails] some information that refers to Ginni Thomas... We think it's time that we, at some point, invite her to come talk to the committee."
Eastman also said in an email with Trump campaign officials on December 24, 2020 that he had information about a disagreement among the Supreme Court justices over whether to hear arguments pertaining to the former president's claims of election fraud.
The Post did not reveal exactly what the correspondence between Thomas and Eastman said, but two people involved in the committee's investigation said it showed "that Thomas's efforts to overturn the election were more extensive than previously known."
On Thursday, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who chairs the January 6 committee, said the panel will "soon" ask Thomas to testify.
"We have discovered in those Eastman [emails] some information that refers to Ginni Thomas," Thompson said. "We think it's time that we, at some point, invite her to come talk to the committee."
Thomas has claimed that her work as a conservative activist is kept separate from her husband's Supreme Court work--for whom Eastman once served as a clerk.
With the news of the correspondence following earlier revelations about Thomas's push to overturn the election, however, Demand Justice issued a new call for Justice Thomas to be held accountable for what Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called "a conflict of interest [that] just screams at you."
\u201cNEW: Ginni Thomas corresponded with John Eastman, sources in Jan. 6 House investigation say.\n\nWe need the full story about the Thomas\u2019 role in the attempt to overturn the election, and we need Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment hearings.\n\nhttps://t.co/MWaskQgs02\u201d— Demand Justice (@Demand Justice) 1655343017
Demand Justice also released a poll Thursday revealing that a large majority of Americans backed an investigation into Justice Thomas "even before new reports showing Ginni Thomas may have leaked confidential information about the Supreme Court to a lawyer attempting to overturn the results of the election."
The poll, conducted by Hart Research Associates on behalf of the court reform group, found that 61% of respondents favored Congress opening an investigation.
\u201cNEW POLL: 61% of Americans say Congress should begin an investigation into Clarence Thomas' refusal so far to recuse himself in matters related to the 2020 election. \n\nSource: Nationwide survey of 1,603 voters conducted June 7-11, 2022 by @HartSurveys\u201d— Brian Fallon (@Brian Fallon) 1655389979
In addition to her correspondence with Eastman, Thomas wrote to at least 29 Arizona lawmakers after the election asking them to "choose" electors who would grant Trump a victory in the state and texted former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows dozens of times asking him to "save us from the left taking America down" by helping to reverse the election results.
Thomas has not recused himself from any cases in which his wife's activism could pose a conflict of interest and was the only justice to dissent when the high court rejected Trump's attempt to block the release of White House documents to the January 6 committee.
Democrats in Congress have demanded that Justice Thomas resign or face impeachment proceedings, but the party's leaders have not joined those calls.
It "feels like Democratic leaders are underestimating support for holding this court accountable," tweeted political strategist Sawyer Hackett.
Progressive advocacy groups on Thursday intensified calls for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment after new reporting revealed that his wife, right-wing activist Ginni Thomas, corresponded with former President Donald Trump's attorney in the weeks between the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The Washington Post revealed that the House committee investigating the insurrection has received emails between Thomas and John Eastman that were sent around the time that the attorney pushed then-Vice President Mike Pence to block or delay the certification of the election results.
"We have discovered in those Eastman [emails] some information that refers to Ginni Thomas... We think it's time that we, at some point, invite her to come talk to the committee."
Eastman also said in an email with Trump campaign officials on December 24, 2020 that he had information about a disagreement among the Supreme Court justices over whether to hear arguments pertaining to the former president's claims of election fraud.
The Post did not reveal exactly what the correspondence between Thomas and Eastman said, but two people involved in the committee's investigation said it showed "that Thomas's efforts to overturn the election were more extensive than previously known."
On Thursday, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who chairs the January 6 committee, said the panel will "soon" ask Thomas to testify.
"We have discovered in those Eastman [emails] some information that refers to Ginni Thomas," Thompson said. "We think it's time that we, at some point, invite her to come talk to the committee."
Thomas has claimed that her work as a conservative activist is kept separate from her husband's Supreme Court work--for whom Eastman once served as a clerk.
With the news of the correspondence following earlier revelations about Thomas's push to overturn the election, however, Demand Justice issued a new call for Justice Thomas to be held accountable for what Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called "a conflict of interest [that] just screams at you."
\u201cNEW: Ginni Thomas corresponded with John Eastman, sources in Jan. 6 House investigation say.\n\nWe need the full story about the Thomas\u2019 role in the attempt to overturn the election, and we need Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment hearings.\n\nhttps://t.co/MWaskQgs02\u201d— Demand Justice (@Demand Justice) 1655343017
Demand Justice also released a poll Thursday revealing that a large majority of Americans backed an investigation into Justice Thomas "even before new reports showing Ginni Thomas may have leaked confidential information about the Supreme Court to a lawyer attempting to overturn the results of the election."
The poll, conducted by Hart Research Associates on behalf of the court reform group, found that 61% of respondents favored Congress opening an investigation.
\u201cNEW POLL: 61% of Americans say Congress should begin an investigation into Clarence Thomas' refusal so far to recuse himself in matters related to the 2020 election. \n\nSource: Nationwide survey of 1,603 voters conducted June 7-11, 2022 by @HartSurveys\u201d— Brian Fallon (@Brian Fallon) 1655389979
In addition to her correspondence with Eastman, Thomas wrote to at least 29 Arizona lawmakers after the election asking them to "choose" electors who would grant Trump a victory in the state and texted former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows dozens of times asking him to "save us from the left taking America down" by helping to reverse the election results.
Thomas has not recused himself from any cases in which his wife's activism could pose a conflict of interest and was the only justice to dissent when the high court rejected Trump's attempt to block the release of White House documents to the January 6 committee.
Democrats in Congress have demanded that Justice Thomas resign or face impeachment proceedings, but the party's leaders have not joined those calls.
It "feels like Democratic leaders are underestimating support for holding this court accountable," tweeted political strategist Sawyer Hackett.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.