It seems like every week, a new revelation about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and his infamous wife Ginni's, corrupt acceptance of lavish gifts from folks advancing their agendas through the highest court in the land is exposed. It remains to be seen if the county can do anything about it, or if it is willing, but the impact of this sold-out court is drastically changing lives.
While achieving such lofty goals as limiting women's choices in health care, the NY Times reports Thomas also has been using the courthouse to host "induction ceremonies" for his rich people's club.
The organization, according to Armstrong Williams, made Justice Thomas "realize that not everyone judges him by the confirmation process, particularly among people of that class and wealth group. They really treated him like a brother, like he mattered and, in return, he opened up the Supreme Court."
Every spring, amid several days of festivities — generally a dinner at the National Portrait Gallery, a series of receptions at the Ritz-Carlton, an awards ceremony emceed by the likes of the actor Tom Selleck and the conservative pundit Lou Dobbs — Justice Thomas spends hours meeting privately with scholarship recipients and hosts a ceremony at the Supreme Court. In the courtroom, he conducts the organization's foundational rite, the induction of roughly 10 new members. Toward the end of the ceremony, scholarship recipients make a brief appearance, walking in procession through the courtroom.
The NYT mentions that the Court "discourages" members from using the facilities to raise money, but here we are. The justices on the Supreme Court are clearly unwilling to police themselves, and Democrats lack the votes to do anything, even if they have the willpower.
I try not to think about this too much because it seems to say some pretty bleak things about our democracy.
