In a fiery and rare speech for a member of the high court, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said on Wednesday that all criticism over his alleged ethical lapses were politically motivated and he would never recuse himself from decisions that and his wife could profit from.
The speech before the conservative American Enterprise Institute was not open to the media, but a recording was made available to The Chicago Dope.
Thomas made no apologies during the speech and said he was just acting as a typical Washington insider by ruling on cases where he and his wife had a financial interest in the outcome.
From 2003 to 2007 Virginia Thomas was paid $686,586 from the conservative Heritage Foundation, which the couple failed to report on federal disclosure forms.
After this income was revealed by the watchdog group Common Cause, Clarence Thomas amended 13 years of disclosure documents in January to include his wife’s work for Heritage, as well her employment with the House Republican leadership and other places.
Thomas said a judge on the highest court in the land couldn’t be expected to understand a form that asked for “spouse’s income” because the wording was too vague and complicated. Thomas did include his wife’s income on disclosure forms up until 1996, when he realized that it would be next to impossible to get himself impeached.
“Even though my actions have violated the judicial code of ethics, and lower judges have resigned or been removed for less, a long time ago the Supreme Court had the foresight to declare itself immune from the judicial ethics code,” Thomas said to cheers from the audience. “That means I can do whatever I want. The liberals can complain all they want, but I’m on the bench for life.”
Thomas has received more than $42,000 in free gifts while on the court, attended closed-door political fundraisers and failed to report that he and his wife profited from conservative opposition to health care reform.
He said his actions weren’t entirely based on financial reasons, noting that he already had a reputation as a staunch conservative, although Thomas acknowledged that he always votes in favor of those who have provided him with free trips or gifts.
In 2001, for example, Thomas voted in favor of AEI’s position in three cases before the court. In the past the AEI gave Thomas a $15,000 bust of Abraham Lincoln and Harlan Crow, an AEI trustee, gave Thomas a $19,000 Bible once owned by Frederick Douglass.
Crow also gave $500,000 to Virginia Thomas to start the Tea Party group Liberty Central, which is opposed to health care reform. She lobbied against the Affordable Care Act and failed to disclose her 2009 salary from her Tea Party group on federal forms required by law.
Pointing out that he wasn’t the only justice on the court with ethical issues, Thomas said both he and Justice Antonin Scalia have attended secret meetings with the conservative Koch brothers, the purpose of which was to raise funds for conservative causes.
“The judicial ethical code says we’re not supposed to attend fundraisers, but since we’ve exempted ourselves we can do whatever the hell we want,” Thomas said. “If that makes me a crook, then Scalia has problems too. We could almost kill somebody and get away with it.”
Thomas received a standing ovation when he declared that he would vote against healthcare reform if it comes before the court, on the grounds that his wife received a lot of money from those who expect him to vote that way.
Crow, appearing on the stage with Thomas, said he considered his investment in the Thomases to be money well spent, given the amount of influence it has given him over Supreme Court decisions. To demonstrate, Crow made Thomas dance before the crowd as Crow threw silver dollars at him.
“You see that folks? That’s how it works in America, that’s how it ought to work in America. Money talks and justice is for sale,” Crow said. “Now, where’s Scalia? I’m gonna make him by bitch too.”
Marcus Manfred is an enigma. A simple and complex man who was raised by wolves in the lower upper part of the eastern west. He is more than you think and less than you know. He is the solution to every question you have ever asked, as long as the answer is three. 
Somehow, I don’t think you made this here thang up.