At one point, Clarence Thomas’ face was pasted all over the news. When he was nominated to become a Supreme Court Justice, he was scrutinized from every angle, from the Anita Hill scandal to his level of education and experience and, most memorable to blacks, the perception that he was an “Uncle Tom.” Since his appointment to the high court,though, he’s been pretty silent — and bitter, according to his book, My Grandfather’s Son. Every now and then you may hear a sellout joke or two referencing the controversial Bush pick, but that’s about it … until now.
Thomas’ wife of 23 years, Virginia, is now bringing his name back to the surface. “Ginni” has founded Liberty Central Inc., a Tea Party-linked nonprofit that will lobby on behalf of conservative “core principles.” This is uncharted territory for traditionally non-partisan activities of justices. Nothing legally can stop her, but …
“I adore all the new citizen patriots who are rising up across this country,” Virginia Thomas, who also answers to 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.”
She said she was spurred into action to lead the movement to preserve the “core principles” that made this country “what is is.” She will issue score cards for Congress members and be involved in the November election. Thomas will also seeks donation from various sources — including corporations — as allowed under campaign finance rules recently loosened by the Supreme Court.
“I am an ordinary citizen from Omaha, Neb., who just may have the chance to preserve liberty along with you and other people like you,” she said at a recent panel discussion with Tea Party leaders in Washington. Thomas went on to count herself among those energized into action by President Obama’s “hard-left agenda.”
Virginia Thomas’ conspicuous political activism will challenge her husband, Clarence, who has purposely abstained from any affiliation with any event or person with any strong political leanings. This despite being a trusted conservative voice on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court since his nomination by the first President George Bush in 1991.
When we think “Tea Party,”, the thoughts that come to mind are: ” irrational, anger, vindictiveness and white …” Introducing, Mrs. Ginni Thomas? –gerald radford and terry shropshire
