FAIRHOPE, Ala. – Judge of the Supreme Court Clarence Thomas He told attendees at Friday’s court conference that he and his wife In the last few years, they have faced “filth” and “lies” and described Washington as a “disgusting place”.
Thomas spoke at a conference attended by judges, attorneys and other court officials from the 11th Circuit Judicial Conference, which hears federal cases from Alabama, Florida and Georgia. He pushed back on the comments his critics in response to a question about working in a seemingly meaningless world.
“I think it has its challenges. We’re in a world and we — certainly my wife and I have been for the last two or three years — just filth and lies, it’s just unbelievable,” Thomas said.
“But you have some options. You can’t stop people from doing horrible things or saying horrible things. But you have to understand and accept that they can’t change you if you don’t let them,” said Thomas.
There is Thomas faced criticism he accepted lavish trips from a GOP donor without reporting them. Thomas defended himself last year did not have to report Trips paid for by one of our “dearest friends”. His wife, conservative activist Ginny Thomas faced criticism for using the Facebook page to boost unfounded claims corruption by Democratic President Joe Biden.
He did not directly discuss the content of the criticism, but said “reckless” people in Washington will “bomb your reputation.”
“They don’t necessarily bomb you, but they bomb your reputation, your good name or your honor. And this is not a crime. But they can do a lot of damage that way,” said Thomas.
During the appearance, Thomas was fielded questions by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, one of Thomas’ former law clerks who was later appointed to the federal bench. The court’s longest-serving justice discussed a wide range of topics during his hour-long speech, including his grandfather’s lessons, his friendship with former colleagues and his belief that court records and deliberations “should be more accessible to ordinary people.” “
Having spent most of his working life in Washington, D.C., Thomas also discussed his dislike of it.
“I think what you’ll find, especially in Washington, is that people take pride in being terrible. To me, this is a disgusting place,” Thomas said. Thomas said it’s one of the reasons he and his wife “love RVing.”
“You’re around ordinary people who don’t take pride in doing bad things, just because they have the ability or not to do it,” Thomas said.
It also became a recreational tool that Thomas used is a source of controversy. In October, Senate Democrats released a report saying most of a $267,000 loan Thomas took out to buy a luxury motorhome was forgiven.
Thomas did not discuss the court’s high-profile caseload.
Justice said he believed it was important to use language in court decisions to make the law accessible to the common man.
“I think ordinary people are sometimes disenfranchised because we talk about jobs,” Thomas said.
Thomas wasn’t the only judge to speak Friday.
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said on Friday that US history is telling court decisions unpopular at the time may later become “part of American constitutional law.”
Kavanaugh spoke Friday at a conference of judges, attorneys and other judicial staff at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and is one of the most conservative circuits.