Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas addressed his critics during remarks at a judicial conference in Alabama on Friday, lamenting the “nastiness” and “lies” directed at him and describing Washington as a “hideous place.”
Asked whether his judicial philosophy required courage, Thomas downplayed the notion, stating that he did not consider himself courageous compared to servicemembers, firefighters, and bomb disposal experts. He asserted that he was simply fulfilling his duties.
“In Washington, you have to get used to particularly people who are reckless,” Thomas, a conservative and the court’s most senior associate justice, remarked. “They don’t bomb you, necessarily, but they bomb your reputation or your good name or your honor. And that’s not a crime, but they can do as much harm that way.”
Speaking at the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals conference in Point Clear, Alabama, Thomas argued that it would be a disservice to servicemembers and first responders “not to sit at my desk and make decisions with a lifetime appointment that we know are the right decisions.”
While not directly addressing recent reports about ethics concerns, Thomas repeatedly addressed his critics during the discussion, moderated by US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle.
“My wife and I, the last two or three years, it’s been – just the nastiness and the lies – it’s just incredible,” Thomas said.
Thomas and his wife, Ginni, have faced criticism, including calls for Thomas to recuse himself from cases related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack due to his wife’s involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Ginni Thomas has acknowledged attending Trump’s rally before the Capitol attack, but Justice Thomas has declined to recuse himself from cases related to the attack.
Thomas has also faced scrutiny for accepting private jet travel and lavish vacations from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, as reported by ProPublica. In response, Thomas updated his financial disclosure forms, and the Supreme Court adopted a code of conduct for the first time last year.
Thomas also criticized Washington, DC, remarking, “I think what you’re gonna find, and especially in Washington, [is] people pride themselves in being awful.”
He appeared to lament a loss of trust within the Supreme Court and raised concerns about the court’s applications docket, suggesting that the process for handling emergency requests was inadequate.
Reflecting on the criticism he has faced, Thomas concluded that he would not respond with “nastiness for nastiness” and emphasized the importance of maintaining one’s integrity in the face of adversity.
