Virginia Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, is clearly a glutton for controversy. Despite numerous concerns about her prominent involvement in the Tea Party, Thomas has once again stepped into the middle of the fray, announcing that she will head Liberty Consulting, a conservative lobbying group. But while Thomas’ disregard for possible conflicts of interest for her husband on the bench, her own inflated sense of importance in the Tea Party may be her ultimate downfall.
Thomas’s bizarre run of controversy began in October when she announced the creation of Liberty Central, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Tea Party issues and limited government. But amid concerns that Thomas’s involvement could cause possible conflicts of interest for her husband, she stepped down from her position as head of the group.
But instead of decreasing her questionable participation in partisan politics, Thomas announced earlier this month that she has founded Liberty Consulting, a lobbying firm dedicated to Tea Party issues. The website features testimonials from prominent Republicans and Tea Party members, including such gems as Donald Rumsfeld proclaiming that Thomas can “channel the frustration felt by millions across America at the current course of our country.”
Besides the obvious absurdity of the wife of a Supreme Court Justice portraying herself as someone who operates outside of Washington elite, Virginia Thomas’ new career raises serious questions about what exactly she would be doing as a consultant. Even if she does have plans to keep her married life separate from her career, her clients may not have such qualms about using her connections. After all, Thomas is less known for work within the Tea Party than for her famous husband.
But while this recent decision presents possible major conflicts of interest for Justice Thomas, there is some hope that her new venture will fail. The reason? After her bizarre late-night phone call to Anita Hill asking for an apology last fall, the conservative movement seems to have cooled on Thomas. Politico has even questioned her claims to have talked with almost half of the freshmen in the House and Senate, noting that many new members who Thomas had contacted had no plans to accept her invitation to meet.
One can only hope at this point that Thomas finally realizes that this backlash is not just a reaction to her Tea Party rhetoric, but criticism based on actual concerns for the Court. Particularly coming on the heels of the news that Justice Thomas has failed to report his wife’s income in the past, Virginia Thomas’ choice to actively participate in politics is a disastrous decision.
Any previous concerns about conflicts of interest on the Court caused by Virginia Thomas are certainly greater now. She’s a savvy woman and has clearly developed strong ties in the conservative community, but it’s time that Thomas recognize her desire to be the leader of the Tea Party and her husband’s job just don’t mix.
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