Every day we are seeing more groups and organizations springing to life to inform the public about the direction this administration is taking us. Most common are the Tea Parties which get a lot slander from the Democrats. As an active Tea Party Participant I can say we do not deserve what the mainstream media and this Administration is throwing at us. I have never seen a disruption of any violence. The Tea Parties are making a difference and activating people all across the country to participate.
Making news these days is Virginia Thomas who is starting a new organization, Liberty Central Inc. a non-profit lobbying group. Her website will be designed to provide an online community for visitors to preserve freedom and reaffirm the core founding principles. The Tea Party linked organization will issue score cards for Congress members.
Thomas, said at a recent panel discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference, "I am an ordinary citizen from Omaha, Neb., who just may have the chance to preserve liberty along with you and other people like you." People across the country are becoming energized because of this President's policies.
"I adore all the new citizen patriots who are rising up across this country." Thomas went on to say, "I have felt called to the front lines with you, with my fellow citizens to preserve what made America great."
So what makes this so unusual? She is the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The Supreme court portrays the appearance of non-partisanship, and is usually not involved in the daily political fiascos. (Although I do not see how they can not be.) Justice Thomas does not attend the State of the Union Addresses because they are "so partisan", as he stated recently in Fl.
Will this cause another conflict between the two parties?
I am sure the Progressives will try to find a conflict of interest and attempt to remove Justice Thomas, noted to be a reliable conservative since his appointment in 1991. He was nominated by President George HW Bush.
According to the LA Times, Experts say Virginia Thomas' work doesn't violate ethical rules for judges. But Liberty Central could give rise to conflicts of interest for her husband, they said, as it tests the norms for judicial spouses.
"We expect the justice to make decisions uninfluenced by the political or legal preferences of his or her spouse," said New York University law professor Stephen Gillers, an expert on legal ethics.
Under judicial rules, judges must curb political activity, but a spouse is free to engage.
The judicial code of conduct does require judges to separate themselves from their spouses political activities.
Law professor Gillers said that Justice Thomas, too, should be on alert for possible conflicts, particularly those involving donors to his wife's nonprofit.
"There is opportunity for mischief if a company with a case before the court, or which it wants the court to accept, makes a substantial contribution to Liberty Central in the interim," he said.
Justice Thomas would be required to be aware of such contributions, Gillers said, adding that he believes Thomas should then disclose those facts and allow parties in the case to argue for recusal. But it would be up to Justice Thomas to decide whether to recuse himself.
She was working for the Heritage Foundation recruiting staff for the possible GW Bush administration in 2000, while at the same time her husband Justice Thomas was hearing the case that would determine Bush's Presidency.
At that time when questioned about a conflict of interest between the two Virginia (Ginni) Thomas responded, "We have our separate professional lives.
Keep up the good work Ginni, we need more people like you out there!
Deanie Sullivan 3/20/10
