Opinion | The author's opinion does not necessarily reflect Sarah Palin's view.
A recent survey indicates that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has a net approval rating of +6, with 17 percent viewing him favorably and 10 percent unfavorably.
Criticism from left-wing Democrats regarding Thomas’s alleged scandal involving gifts from Republican donor Harlan Crow has not significantly impacted his public perception.
Thomas defended these relationships as personal friendships not requiring disclosure.
Crow’s family is “among his dearest friends,” whom he has “joined on a number of family trips,” Thomas said.
Despite calls for a stronger ethics code for the Supreme Court amidst controversies, Thomas recused himself from certain cases, including a petition related to former President Donald Trump’s lawyer.
“Early in my tenure at the Court, I sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary, and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable,” Thomas added. “I have endeavored to follow that counsel throughout my tenure, and have always sought to comply with the disclosure guidelines.”
“These guidelines are now being changed, as the committee of the Judicial Conference responsible for financial disclosure for the entire federal judiciary just this past month announced new guidance. And, it is, of course, my intent to follow this guidance in the future,” he said.
Ginni Thomas, Thomas’s wife, expressed beliefs in the 2020 election being stolen, aligning with Trump’s narrative.
