8
Number of years, as of Saturday, February 22, that have passed since Clarence Thomas last asked a question during a Supreme Court oral argument. Jeffrey Toobin: “His behavior on the bench has gone from curious to bizarre to downright embarrassing, for himself and for the institution he represents.”
Connect:
That’s because all he ever needs to know about any of the cases he hears is delivered to him in advance, in the form of “money speech”.
Another useful development of the Citizens United decision Thomas helped to pass. All that GOP money passing through Thomas’ wife’s PAC, slated for bribing politicians or misinforming voters, is really hard to trace right now, so those extra bribes for the Supreme Court Five will never be noticed.
Or, you COULD believe that Thomas is just so adept at “judging” that he can derive an understanding of every aspect of a case before him through just being a good listener. Because he already knows that the other eight judges will ask all the pertinent questions justified by the parameters of the case, so HE doesn’t have to.
It’s really hard, you know, coming up with questions indicating that the questioner has read the materials, understands the relevant case law as it applies to a case, and seeks to be seen as impartial in his assessment of the responses. Too much work for a beknighted believer in the sanctity of non-governance. Gives him headaches.
After all, figuring out how best to integrate his “briefing information” proceeds with his lecture proceeds is an all-consuming task, and he can’t allow all these cases brought by mere “corporeal people” to waste his time and distract him from serving his masters, the “corporate people”. Who are decidedly non-corporeal in deed, as well as in truth.
What a tool this guy is.