Tea Party of the Supremes
March 14, 2010 9:42 AM   Subscribe

"I adore all the new citizen patriots who are rising up across this country," Thomas, who goes by Ginni, said on the panel at the Conservative Political Action Conference. "I have felt called to the front lines with you, with my fellow citizens, to preserve what made America great." Justice Clarence Thomas' wife quoted on her founding of a new Tea Party Chapter.

Some more tea party fun, with the ten most offensive signs (previously). Sarah Palin telling the tea party convention, America is ready for another revolution. Leader of the Houston Tea Party with his "N-word" protest sign.

Despite all this, apparently Ginni Thomas' involvement is not even considered unethical.
posted by ExitPursuedByBear (16 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Eh, not a great way to frame a post. -- cortex



 
How dare this judge's spouse express her political opinions!
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 9:47 AM on March 14, 2010 [4 favorites]


Despite all this, apparently Ginni Thomas' involvement is not even considered unethical.

What code of ethics would it conceivably be violating?
posted by codswallop at 9:51 AM on March 14, 2010 [4 favorites]


Equal rights means that your wife doesn't have to share your views.
posted by WPW at 9:56 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]


This is unethical. She has a great responsibility to her public involvements because of her access to power. To think she will have no influence in the way Justice Thomas decides cases involving Liberty Central, and to believe he will recuse himself and remain fair is beyond anything I can believe. Thomas never recused himself on rulings for Monsanto cases a company he worked for in the past. If this were going on with one of the progressive members of the Supreme Court, the right wing echo chamber would be screaming impeachment from every corner of this country. Why are we allowing this to go on without any noise at all?
posted by ExitPursuedByBear at 9:58 AM on March 14, 2010


Liberals shouldn't target people's spouses like this. I got an email from FireDogLake telling me to be outraged that Joe Lieberman's wife is involved with breast cancer charities, because her husband is harming health care reform, or something.

Of course it's nothing compared to the anti-Michelle stuff on the right, but it's still dumb and counterproductive.

If this were going on with one of the progressive members of the Supreme Court, the right wing echo chamber would be screaming impeachment from every corner of this country. Why are we allowing this to go on without any noise at all?

Because we don't want to be a left-wing echo chamber?

Individuals have the right to political speech no matter who they marry. If there's a court case directly involving a Tea Party group and Justice Thomas doesn't recuse himself, then we can start protesting. But only about the judge and not his wife.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 10:02 AM on March 14, 2010 [8 favorites]


So I was staring at a book called A Patriots History Of the United States, dumbfounded, and unable to figure out if it was a parody or not what would be more horrible.
posted by The Whelk at 10:05 AM on March 14, 2010


Can't wait to find out what kind of salary she's drawing, and what percent of that is coming from the corporate contributions that her group is going to take. Not that it matters anymore. The corporations have won. Now they're just openly mocking the system.
posted by scblackman at 10:06 AM on March 14, 2010 [2 favorites]


Why are we allowing this to go on without any noise at all?

That is not a good reason to post an FPP. Flagged.
posted by cribcage at 10:08 AM on March 14, 2010


What code of ethics would it conceivably be violating?

I suppose if the Tea Party were party to a case before the Supreme Court it would conceivably be unethical for Justice Thomas not to recuse himself. It would almost certainly be unethical if it were the particular chapter founded by his wife.

Why are we allowing this to go on without any noise at all?

First because the Good Behavior clause of Article III is not enforceable by the public; Congress has complete discretion to impeach or not impeach judges and justices. Second because the ethical violations you list remain hypothetical. Third because it wouldn't get anywhere and would be an enormous waste of political capital that would only feed the Tea Party's persecution complex. Fourth because it's almost unprecedented; the only Supreme Court justice to be impeached was Samuel Chase in 1804. I could go on but you get the idea, I hope.
posted by jedicus at 10:08 AM on March 14, 2010 [2 favorites]


Urgh. I wish there was some way to go back in time and introduce Barry Goldwater to pot and Magic Mountain and prevent all this mess from happening.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:08 AM on March 14, 2010 [2 favorites]


So she's as much of a fool as her husband. No surprise here. Will she sleep through rallies the way her husband sleeps through hearings?
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:08 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]


Yea, I'm not getting the great ethical breach here. Ginni Thomas is her own person and can associate with who she wants to.

And as a practical matter, Justice Thomas is always going to vote with the conservative block of the court anyway.
posted by octothorpe at 10:10 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]


This unethical behavior is rampant, and extends into the other branches of government. I, for one, don't think that any politician should be involved in political activities.
posted by FuManchu at 10:15 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]



The varied opinions and viewpoints associated with this FPP serve to highlight the difference between liberal and conservative blogs.
posted by notreally at 10:24 AM on March 14, 2010


I got an email from FireDogLake telling me to be outraged that Joe Lieberman's wife is involved with breast cancer charities, because her husband is harming health care reform, or something.

"Or something"? Why don't you read the email before dismissing it as spousal attacks.
posted by DU at 10:26 AM on March 14, 2010 [1 favorite]


The varied opinions and viewpoints associated with this FPP serve to highlight the difference between liberal and conservative blogs.

I didn't think Metafilter was either.
posted by rocket88 at 10:31 AM on March 14, 2010


« Older Mr. Ecker rolled up a sleeve to reveal a...   |   Orwell Rolls In His Grave Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments