by Alisha Rodriguez
March 14, 2022
In an interview with The Free Becon, Ginni Thomas, the conservative activist married to Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, said she attended the rally that preceded the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C.
In her interview published Monday by The Free Beacon, Thomas admitted that she attended the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse, adding that she left after President Trump spoke. While Trump’s speech – during which he urged his supporters to “fight like hell” and told them he expected them to march to the Capitol – took place, and at the end of it, many of the crowd headed to the scene of the riot.
In January, The New Yorker published a broad view of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni, titled “Is Ginni Thomas a Threat to the Supreme Court?,” heightening scrutiny of her work and to what degree it may be influencing that of her husband. Weeks later, The New York Times Magazine published a profile of its own highlighting Thomas’ effort in the reelction of Donald Trump following the 2020 election. During this time, her husband was serving as a U.S. Supreme Court judge.
It is important to note that Thomas made it clear to the Free Beacon that her presence at the rally on Jan. 6 as well as her broader activism haven’t affected her husband’s work in any way. “Like so many married couples, we share many of the same ideals, principles, and aspirations for America,” Thomas told the conservative outlet. “But we have our own separate careers, and our own ideas and opinions too. Clarence doesn’t discuss his work with me, and I don’t involve him in my work.”
According to a report in Politico last month, emails obtained by American Oversight allegedly showed that Thomas invoked her husband in an attempt to get Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to attend a meeting organized by the right-wing group, Judicial Watch. The email Thomas sent to DeSantis stated that DeSantis and her husband had recently been in contact about “various things.” The political news outlet used this information as “proof” that her activism has a direct effect on the work and decision-making of her Supreme Court husband.
Additionally, according to left-leaning political outlets pundits, there have been other indications that Thomas might be influencing her husband in numerous ways. There was a note in the New Yorker in January that Thomas served on the advisory board for TurningPoint USA, a group that helped organize people’s travel to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. In January, the Supreme Court ruled that the Jan. 6 committee should be permitted access to White House documents Trump had been trying to keep secret. The only justice who disagreed with the majority was Clarence Thomas.
It has been confirmed by Thomas that she in no way participated in the events of Jan. 6, but only attended a rally held at the Ellipse for a short time. Her statement is not without skepticism, however. Rolling Stone reporter Hunter Walker (who has reported on the organization of the rally for Rolling Stone) tweeted on Monday that, according to multiple sources, Ginni Thomas was spotted at “the Willard” on January 6, 2014.”. According to several of the subpoenas that have been issued by the Congressional committee investigating the attack on the Capitol, The Willard served as the “command center” for Trump’s inner circle as they plotted how to stop the certification of the election results on January 6, 2014.
In regards to January 6, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas has a few clarifications.
The rally leading up to the riot at the Capitol was not organized by her. While she attended the rally, she left early because of the cold. Additionally, she believes that her involvement with the event has no impact on the work of her husband, Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas.
Her political activity has been accused of posing an ethical dilemma for the justice by critics for decades. In addition to dispelling misconceptions about her career, she shared new details about her personal life.
“Like so many married couples, we share many of the same ideals, principles, and aspirations for America,” Thomas told the Washington Free Beacon. “But we have our own separate careers, and our own ideas and opinions too. Clarence doesn’t discuss his work with me, and I don’t involve him in my work.”
In spite of the fact that Thomas took steps to adjust her public profile, including deleting her Facebook page, she is not planning on curtailing her professional activities.
For the first time, Thomas discussed a series of recent news reports linking her with the events of Jan. 6 and claiming that her activities undermine the Supreme Court’s public image and create a conflict of interest for her husband.
“If you are going to be true to yourself and your professional calling, you can never be intimidated, chilled, or censored by what the press or others say,” she said.
The Supreme Court refused to quash the request by former president Donald Trump for White House records pertaining to the 2020 election in January. The only member of the Court who publicly dissent was Justice Thomas.