Clarence Thomas: A Controversial Tenure On The U.S. Supreme Court

At just shy of 32 years on the bench, Clarence Thomas is the longest-serving justice currently serving on the U.S. Supreme Court, and nearly his entire tenure has been rife with controversy. From the Anita Hill sexual harassment allegations during his confirmation hearings to the recent reports that he accepted undisclosed luxury gifts from Republican donors, the conservative justice has been a lightning rod of controversy throughout his tenure.

The journey of Clarence Thomas is marked by significant legal and ethical debates that have not only shaped his career but also impacted public perception of the Supreme Court itself. His confirmation process in 1991 was marred by serious allegations, and these controversies have continued to follow him throughout his career. This article will explore various key events and allegations that have defined Thomas's lengthy service on the highest court in the land.

Table of Contents

• Biography
• Anita Hill Allegations
• Failure to Report Wife’s Income
• Affordable Care Act Calls for Recusal
• Moira Smith Allegations
• Wife’s Claims About Trump’s Election
• Undisclosed Luxury Gifts

Biography

Anita Hill Allegations

In 1991, lawyer and law professor Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his time as her supervisor at the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Hill claimed Thomas made frequent sexual advances and explicit remarks, which sparked a national conversation about sexual harassment in the workplace.

The allegations came to light when the FBI questioned Hill shortly after President George H.W. Bush nominated Thomas for the Supreme Court. The media leaked her statements, fueling further investigations that ultimately led to Hill testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Failure to Report Wife’s Income

Controversy continued when it was revealed that Clarence Thomas failed to report over $686,000 in income earned by his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, while she worked at the Heritage Foundation. This oversight raised questions about his financial disclosures and ethical standards.

Despite receiving paychecks between 2003 and 2007, Thomas stated that his wife had no income during that period. This discrepancy was uncovered by the advocacy group Common Cause, leading Thomas to later amend 20 years' worth of disclosure forms to correct the omissions.

Affordable Care Act Calls for Recusal

In 2009, Ginni Thomas established Liberty Central, a political advocacy group focused on repealing President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), which she labeled as “unconstitutional law.” This connection raised significant concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest.

Two years later, 74 Democratic House members urged Thomas to recuse himself from any cases involving the ACA due to his wife's lobbying efforts. However, he did not recuse himself, and when the Supreme Court upheld the law's constitutionality in 2012, he was among the dissenters in the 5-4 vote.

Moira Smith Allegations

In 2016, lawyer Moira Smith came forward with allegations that Thomas groped her during a dinner party in 1999. Smith stated that seeing Donald Trump’s comments about sexual assault inspired her to break her silence after 17 years.

Thomas vehemently denied this claim, asserting that it was "preposterous." In an op-ed published in 2018, Smith expressed uncertainty about the impact of her allegations but hoped they contributed to a larger conversation about such issues.

Wife’s Claims About Trump’s Election

After Trump's 2020 election loss, Ginni Thomas sent numerous texts to Mark Meadows, Trump's former Chief of Staff, urging him to overturn the election results and embrace various conspiracy theories. In one message, she urged, “Do not concede. It takes time for the army who is gathering for his back.”

Additionally, she reached out to Arizona lawmakers, encouraging them to discard Joe Biden's victory in the state. This involvement has prompted public concern over whether Clarence Thomas should recuse himself from cases related to the election.

Undisclosed Luxury Gifts

In April 2023, ProPublica revealed that Thomas and his wife had accepted undisclosed luxury trips from Republican donor Harlan Crow for over two decades. These trips were not reported on Thomas's financial disclosure forms, raising serious ethical questions.

Critics, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, expressed that Thomas's actions were inconsistent with the ethical standards expected from a Supreme Court justice, with calls for impeachment circulating due to these revelations.