'Enamored with his own mythology': Clarence Thomas hates 'hideous' DC — even though it made him rich

14 May 2024

When U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spoke at an 11th Circuit Court of Appeals conference in Mobile Bay, Alabama in early May, he had some very negative things to say about Washington, D.C.

Thomas, according to New York Times reporter Abbie VanSickle, told attendees, "Especially in Washington, people pride themselves in being awful. It's a hideous place, as far as I'm concerned."

In a biting article published on May 14, The New Republic's Matt Ford slams Thomas' remarks as disingenuous in light of how Washington, D.C. made the justice extremely rich.

Ford describes Thomas as "a man who seems to be enamored with his own mythology" and "deeply resents anything that contradicts it or his self-image."

"Though he loves to cast himself as a martyr," Ford writes, "the reality of Thomas' life and career is that many of his grievances are self-inflicted ones. So when he bemoans the 'nastiness' of this 'hideous place' called Washington, he should consider his own role in making it that way."

Thomas — who, according to Forbes, had a net worth of $4 million in February — has been surrounded by controversy in recent years, from Pro-Publica's extensive reporting on gifts he received from billionaire Harlan Crow to his wife, GOP activist Ginni Thomas', efforts to help former President Donald Trump stay in office after he lost the 2020 election to now-President Joe Biden.

Justice Thomas, Ford observes, clearly resents all the negative publicity he has been receiving — publicity that feeds his sense of "grievance."

"Nobody likes being misrepresented or misdescribed, of course," Ford writes. "But Thomas appears to be more sensitive to perceived slights and grievances than most."

The justice, Ford argues, "shows no real interest in abandoning Washington or the levers of power" despite his anti-D.C. comments.

"The Thomases do not eschew public life; they relish it," Ford writes. "Thomas is not a reluctant participant in D.C. politics; he enjoys being the hub around which it revolves. Thomas' votes in cases on voting rights, partisan gerrymandering, campaign-finance laws, and anti-corruption cases have helped make American politics meaner, crueler and more partisan over the past three decades. And along the way, his billionaire patrons have allowed him to enjoy a lifestyle far beyond what he could otherwise afford on a justice's salary."

Ford continues, "This is not as heartwarming or inspiring as the mythology that Thomas prefers —and that is exactly why he prefers it.

Matt Ford's full New Republic article is available at this link.

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