What Is Virginia Thomas Selling?

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Justice for Sale ?

Many have maintained that the Republicans have perfected the "Pay-to-Play" game in American politics (cf. Nov. elections). Now it seems, Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, may be developing a new conservative Republican game, "Buy-A-Justice." (Reminds one of coal companies in West Virginia.)

Mrs. Thomas has announced that she is starting Liberty Consulting, and she will sell her lobbying services to those  who wish to influence Republican and Tea Party members of congress. Soliciting clients, she "boasts on the Liberty Consulting website that she’s met with half of the incoming GOP freshmen representatives and calls herself 'a self-appointed, ambassador to the freshmen class and an ambassador to the Tea Party movement.'" (Daily Beast 2/4/11) All lobbyists sell themselves based on their "access" to Congress, but even more troubling than that is the implication that Mrs. Thomas'  "connections" are her husband and his position on the Supreme Court.


As citizens we had hoped the Supreme Court was above politics. Then, in Bush vs. Gore  we saw five Supreme Court Justices who had spoken elegantly about States Rights change their minds and resolve the case along political lines. In 2009 we saw an activist 5-4 Supreme Court decision (Citizens United) ruling that multi-national corporations and unions were really the same as you and I, and therefore able to donate undisclosed millions of dollars to political campaigns. Another blatantly  political decision. Therefore, we should not be surprised that the Supreme Court has been politicized, but Americans, being the optimists we are, were hoping that in spite of the politicization, Justices were at least not influenced by money but by deeply-felt principles, albeit political.


This new caper by Virginia Thomas, a  Justice's wife, takes the gambit to a new level. What will Justice Thomas do when a case comes before the Supreme Court in which one of the parties to the case is a client of his wife's  lobbying company? He refused to recuse himself in the Citzens United case, although many felt that his wife's affiliations created a conflict of interest. Based on that history, it is unlikely that in the future he will recuse himself even though one party in the case is employing his wife as a lobbyist.


By her own admission, Mrs. Thomas is selling her lobbying services based on her influence. Her customers will know that she is literally in bed with a Supreme Court Justice. They will expect the money they are paying her to "influence" you-know-who.


If Justice Thomas gets away with this, what can we expect? Will Chief Justice Roberts' wife begin  a business as a lobbyist?  She could set up a website like this: My husband is Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, I have even more influence than Virginia Thomas, but, of course my fee obviously is higher than Virginia Thomas'.


Gotta love capitalism! Everything is for sale!