Ginni’s actions require Justice Thomas to recuse from Trump Colorado case, Dems say
Ginni Thomas' actions and "intimate involvement" with Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election are sufficient grounds for her husband, Clarence Thomas, to recuse himself from a case the ex-president is asking the Supreme Court to decide, a group of House Democrats say in a scathing letter to the embattled U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
On Wednesday Donald Trump's attorneys petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that finds section three of the Fourteenth Amendment disqualifies the ex-president from serving again, and therefore could not remain on the ballot.
"Not only did your wife attend the January 6 rally, but she was instrumental in planning it and bringing the insurrectionists to the Capitol," the letter, led by U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), charges, as NBC News reports. "Your wife was one of nine board members for a conservative political group that helped lead the 'Stop the Steal' movement, a movement which culminated in the January 6 attack that the Colorado Supreme Court deemed an insurrection. It is unthinkable that you could be impartial in deciding whether an event your wife personally organized qualifies as an 'insurrection' that would prevent someone from holding the office of President."
It "is hard to believe that her bias has no impact on you, which is why reasonable people aware of the relevant facts and circumstances doubt that you can fairly discharge your duty to be impartial in hearing this case," the Democrats say.
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Alleging she has "shown a fervent bias in favor of Mr. Trump," the letter is replete with details of Ginni Thomas' additional activities. "Ms. Thomas urged Mr. Trump’s Chief of Staff (Mark Meadows) to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, with dozens of texts starting immediately after Election Day 2020 and ending only days after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol."
"She also signed a letter urging then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to remove outspoken Trump critics, Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney, from the January 6 Committee. Ms. Thomas was a witness for Congress’ January 6 Committee due to her intimate involvement, and that Committee’s report is integral to this case. In her testimony to the Committee, nearly two years after the January 6 insurrection, Ms. Thomas testified that she still believed the 2020 election had been stolen."
The Democrats call it "unreasonable to conclude your wife’s fervent views do not bleed over to and affect your opinions, and affect your ability to be impartial in a case about Mr. Trump’s efforts to prevent the orderly transition of power."
The letter also warns Thomas should recuse because his wife has financial incentives to keep Trump on the ballot.
In reporting the Democrats' letter, NBC News notes, Justice Thomas "continues to face scrutiny for refusing to recuse himself from several other Jan. 6-related cases, including one involving whether Trump has presidential immunity from federal prosecution. Johnson last month led a letter asking Thomas to recuse himself from that case, again citing his wife’s conservative activism. The Supreme Court last month denied special counsel Jack Smith’s request to step in ahead of the normal appeals process."
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