Associate Justice Clarence Thomas

The Internal Battle For The 2028 Republican Presidential Nomination

Ronald 3 Comments

Once the Midterm Elections of 2026 are over, six months from now, the contest for the 2028 Presidential Election in both political parties will commence in earnest.

Clearly, there will be a multitude of Democratic Presidential nominees, but also, the Republican Party battle for who will succeed the most divisive President in American history will be very intense.

Vice President JD Vance, in theory, will be the front-runner for the Presidency, with, of course, the growing possibility that he might succeed Trump during the term, due to the rapid mental and physical deterioration that is clear to anyone who has any intelligence and perception.

If Vance ends up in the White House before the Republican National Convention in the summer of 2028, he would become the automatic nominee, as it would become impossible to stop him.

But if he is still Vice President, Vance will face fierce opposition for the succession from at least the following:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Texas Senator Ted Cruz
Outgoing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley

Supposedly, Rubio has declared he would not challenge Vance, but that is not a statement that can be taken at face value at this point.

Ted Cruz could end up on the Supreme Court if either Clarence Thomas or Samuel Alito retire, leaving a vacancy on the Court.

DeSantis might end up in the Trump Cabinet as a replacement for the Defense Department or some other Cabinet position, once he leaves the Florida Governorship in January.

Rand Paul seems highly likely, as a libertarian and a critic of much of what Trump represents, to announce for President, but he also would face Senate reelection in 2028, if he fails to do well in early primaries in 2028.

Hawley is more of a long shot, but also could decide to contest the nomination.

There could be other potential contenders, but at this point, the best bet would be on either Vance or Rubio.

Since Vance is known to have opposed the Iran War, this is a very difficult time for him as the heir apparent, awkward when one learns that many of those around Donald Trump are suspicious of him, supposedly including White House Chief of Staff Suzie Wiles, who has a great impact on the President.

Vance cannot be fired, however, although, in theory, he could resign at some point, but that would be a long shot, not likely.

If one had to perceive the future, the scenario could be that Rubio would have the edge in the mind of Donald Trump, even though perceptions of Rubio show a grim appearance, indicating a feeling of discomfort as Rubio has, seemingly, abandoned his former foreign policy views, including support of Ukraine against Russia, to accommodate Trump.

US Supreme Court Majority Destroys Voting Rights Act Of 1965, LBJ’s Civil Rights Accomplishment!

Ronald 16 Comments

Six decades ago, in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson courageously promoted the passage of the Voting Rights Act, to right the wrong of racial discrimination which denied African Americans, primarily in the South, the enforcement of the 15th Amendment of 1870, the right to vote, under Jim Crow racism for nearly a century.

Now, the disgraceful modern Supreme Court, with three Trump appointees, two appointees of George W. Bush, and the despicable Clarence Thomas appointed by George H W Bush, have destroyed the concept that African Americans and other racial minorities (Latinos, native Americans, Asian Americans), should have adequate representation, and instead are re-establishing white supremacy all over again.

In the Louisiana redistricting case (Louisiana V. Callais), the Louisiana legislature denied African Americans a second “black” seat out of six, despite the fact that about one third of the state has black population. The Supreme Court decided 6-3 that what Louisiana had done was not discriminatory, even though it is clear that it is, without any realistic doubt.

That, plus the outrageous reapportionment gerrymandering in Florida promoted by outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis, against the state referendum on the subject of gerrymandering passed overwhelmingly in 2010, being perpetrated on the same day as the Supreme Court decision, is disheartening.

It is highly likely that many African American members and other minority districts, primarily, but not only in the South, will have no or greatly reduced representation in the halls of the House of Representatives in the upcoming 120th Congress (2027-2029) and beyond.

Chief Justice John Roberts has revealed his true nature on this subject, having initiated it in 2013 in Shelby County Alabama V. Holder, the first cutting back on the Voting Rights Act, and now with three Trump appointees on the Court, that law is being, effectively, eviscerated.

The historical legacy of John Roberts is damaged for the long run of history, as he will go down as a destroyer of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Proposed maps show “blue” areas in the South, where black representation was present in the House of Representatives, would be mostly decimated–completely in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina, and be dramatically cut back in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

This is an outrage against the concept of democracy and the rule of law, a tragedy of massive proportions.

It is also a slight against the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr, John Lewis, and other civil rights heroes, who spent their lives promoting fair treatment, and suffered much brutality in the process!

Clarence Thomas Soon To Be Second Longest Serving Supreme Court Justice In American History!

Ronald 8 Comments

In October 1991, Clarence Thomas became the second African American Supreme Court Justice in American history, appointed by President George H W Bush, replacing the retired Thurgood Marshall, appointed to the Court in 1967 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Thomas had a highly contentious Supreme Court nomination battle, as he was accused of sexual harassment in the workplace by Anita Hill, a turning point which led to Thomas’s embitterment, and his life’s commitment to use his anger and fury in every way possible to undermine constitutional law, with his quest to promote “textualism” and “originalism”.

Thomas has been on the Court now for more than 34 years, and on Wednesday October 25, he will surpass the most famous and influential Justice in American history, Chief Justice John Marshall (1801-1835) in longevity, and be fourth all time in service.

And in early May, he will surpass Justice John Paul Stevens (1975-2010) and Justice Stephen J. Field (1863-1897) in longevity, and rank second all time in service, only behind Justice William O. Douglas (1939-1975).

If Thomas stays on the Court for two more years, he will be the top of the list of longevity in late May, 2028.

His impact on constitutional law has been massive, seen as mostly negative by a majority of constitutional and legal scholars, and many of his law clerks have ended up appointed by Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump to Federal District Court and Federal Circuit Court lifetime appointments.

In many ways, Thomas’s appointment by George H. W. Bush may have had the longest and greatest impact of any action taken by the 41st President!

The Supreme Court Has Become A True Disaster!

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The US Supreme Court, under Chief Justice John Roberts, has become a total disaster, a disgrace to its 236 year history since 1789.

The present Court, with a 6-3 right wing majority, is the most extremist since the 1920s, and seems to have the purpose to join Donald Trump in destroying the regulatory state and the promotion of civil rights that has occurred from the New Deal onward.

Two of the members—Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito—are the most extremist and corrupt members of the Court in the past century, highly arrogant individuals. And Chief Justice Roberts, who seems so concerned about his legacy in history as the leader of the Court, has given up trying to regulate the influence of these two members, and the three Donald Trump appointments, which with rare exceptions join in on most decisions, with an occasional, surprising split by Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh or Amy Coney Barrett.

The three Democratic appointments to the court–Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson–are clearly frustrated, as indicated in their often fiery, critical responses to many of the Court decisions. It must be hard to have civil relations, and one would think, that the frustrations could lead to private thoughts of resigning from the Court. But of course, they know that if any of them were to resign, that would mean a future 7-2 Court and even more extremist impact.

Right now, in a very difficult time, we must be proud of their defiance, and their commitment to staying and fighting, and hope for their continued health and prosperity, with the fear if one is forced to leave, what a disaster that would mean for constitutional law, already in disarray as things stand now!

Financial Graft And Malfeasance From Spiro Agnew And Abe Fortas A Half Century Ago To Donald Trump And Clarence Thomas Now!

Ronald 4 Comments

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, we had famous financial graft and malfeasance that led to the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in 1973, and Supreme Court Associate Justice Abe Fortas in 1969, both over comparatively small amounts of corruption, as one looks back on that time. Both were held accountable, and had to resign their positions of influence.

Now in 2025, we have massive financial corruption by President Donald Trump, and Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (accepting major gifts from Harlan Crowe and others).

And neither Trump nor Thomas, nor many others in the Trump orbit, who are also engaged in financial malfeasance, even try to hide it.

There was a crypto investors dinner last night, hosted by Donald Trump, where wealthy investors, paying at least $1 million to Trump for the opportunity to invest in his memecoin, had the opportunity to have their corrupt requests listened to and accomplished. But apparently, Trump made a brief speech and left the gathering, so those who paid to speak with him did not get that chance, but invested in making Trump and his family ever more wealthy.

This comes after Trump’s business trip to the Arab oligarchs of the Middle East, and his sons and son in law gaining investment opportunities in many countries, because of their connection to Donald Trump. It also follows Trump being offered the “gift” from Qatar of a replacement for Air Force One, which has already been accomplished despite many questions and doubts about the veracity and safety of accepting such a gift, from a nation that has backed the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas.

This is how deteriorating the sense of honesty and ethics have occurred, as there is no shame in today’s politics!

It makes the corruption of past administrations, including Ulysses S. Grant, Warren G. Harding, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush, look minor by comparison!

And much of the corruption of those Presidencies was not personal, rather people around the Presidents, who served in their administrations and enriched themselves, as a result of their being part of those administrations.

So in the time of Donald Trump, the corruption level is greater than at any time in American history, and yet, it seems to be unstoppable!

Biden’s Supreme Court Reform Proposal A Great Idea For Long Term!

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Joe Biden’s Supreme Court Reform Proposal makes sense for the future.

Eigthteen years should be the term for future members of the Court, with two new appointments for every future President in each four year term.

The idea of Justices staying in office at advanced years is something that should be prevented for the future.

At the same time, it is not possible to limit the number of years of present members of the Court.

But adding more members to the Court is perfectly sensible until and when the present membership of the Court retires.

The idea that one party should constantly control and dominate the Supreme Court is reprehensible, as it should a Court based on the vote of the people as to who they want for the Presidency.

Some sense of political party balance is essential for the Supreme Court to overcome the horrible reputation it has presently, the worst ever in modern history!

And Biden’s proposal for a binding ethics code for the Court and its membership is urgent, after the revelations of the corruption of Clarence Thomas in particular!

Chief Justice John Roberts At A Crossroads

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Chief Justice John Roberts is only the 17th person to be Chief Justice.

He has been Chief Justice for 19 years by September, and will be the fourth longest serving Chief Justice at that point, already surpassing the average tenure for a Chief Justice, with the major exceptions of John Marshall (1801-1835) and Roger Taney (1836-1864)), and also Melville Weston Fuller (1888-1910).

Roberts worries, rightfully, about the reputation of the Supreme Court, as it is named after the people who hold the position of Chief Justice.

While a definite conservative, Roberts has tried to promote a rational center on the Court, but that has become much more difficult with the extreme rightward swing of the Court since Donald Trump made three appointments in his one term of office.

The feeling is that Roberts has lost any sense of control or ability to influence his colleagues.

There clearly are major splits on the Court, and Roberts has the difficult job of showing he can lead, or allowing Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to dominate the Court.

It is hoped that Roberts, quietly, behind the scenes, has convinced the Trump appointees to tame the influence of Thomas and Alito, as otherwise, the reputation of the Court and his own historical reputation will lie in tatters.

This will be demonstrated when the Court finally makes its fateful decision this week on Presidential immunity, and the majority of the Court desperately needs to get this case right, or else, the American experiment in democracy will be in long term crisis!

US Supreme Court Adding To Its Poor Image By Delaying Presidential Immunity Decision To End Of June!

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The US Supreme Court, already with a terrible reputation as an extremist right wing Court, is adding to its poor image by delaying its Presidential Immunity decision to the very last week of the present term.

The idea that any President has total immunity on anything he does as President is shocking, but the Court, with its three Donald Trump appointees, plus the horrendous Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, both involved in conflict of interest controversies of their own making, is adding tension to the nation by not having rejected such an idea summarily.

The hope is that the Court will reject such an outrageous abuse of Presidential power, that would allow any action of a President without any controls.

This blogger senses, and hopes that the vote will be as high as 7-2 rejecting total Presidential immunity, with only Thomas and Alito seemingly assured to back such abuse of power.

But this assumes that the Trump appointees, and at the least, Amy Coney Barrett, along with Chief Justice John Roberts, will join Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, to come to that conclusion. The hope is that Brett Kavanaugh will also join such a majority, and possibly Neil Gorsuch.

Supreme Court Future At Stake In Presidential Election Of 2024!

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Never has the future of constitutional law ever been more in danger than it is now in 2024, with a right wing extremist Supreme Court majority in process of reversing many of the constitutional advances promoted by the Warren Court and its successors.

President Joe Biden has brought to our attention the reality that it is highly likely that there will be at least TWO Supreme Court appointments in the next Presidential term.

This blogger and author believes, however, that it could, potentially, be up to FOUR appointments, not just two!

Four members of the present Court, based on age and Court longevity, may be leaving the Court by 2028!

Right wing extremists Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito are seen as likely to retire after being on the Court for 33 and 18 years and being in their mid 70s.

Sonia Sotomayor has health issues, and is reaching 70, after 15 years on the Court, and may leave.

And Chief Justice John Roberts, on the Court for 19 years, will reach 70 early in 2025.

So the whole future of the Supreme Court is at stake in a massive way!

The Massive Corruption Of Clarence Thomas

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It is shocking how corrupt and greedy Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is, and has been in the past third of a century since his hearings for the Supreme Court in 1991 revealed sexual harassment of Anita Hill.

Selected to replace the only earlier African American Justice, Thurgood Marshall, by President George H. W. Bush, his appointment and career stand out as possibly the biggest blunder made by the 41st President.

Thomas has gained at least $4 million in “benefits” from conservative activists, most notably Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo, and has led the attack on the great advancements of the Chief Justice Earl Warren Court (1953-1969).

By all standards of behavior, Thomas should resign from the Court, and should be impeached, but of course, neither will happen, and his horrendous tenure on the Court as it moves far to the Right, undermines all respect for the Court as an institution.

Thomas, sadly, is on the path to the possibility of serving longer on the Court than anyone, if he stays a member for the next three years. If he does, he will surpass the 36 years of Associate Justice William O. Douglas (1939-1975). At this time, already, Thomas is the 10th longest serving member of the Court in its history.

Thomas’s impact on constitutional law is also the fact that many of his law clerks are now federal district court judges, so his right wing views will carry on beyond his own time on the Court.

And sadly, his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, was involved in promotion of the January 6 2021 US Capitol Insurrection, as indicated by research into the behind the scenes events of that tragic day.