Supreme Court Justices Become Targets of the Left

The US Supreme Court has issued several landmark decisions over the past few years, including the highly controversial overturning of Roe vs Wade. For decades, the Supreme Court has been perceived as a domain of the left, but that pattern has shifted. With former President Donald Trump's appointment of three conservative justices, the balance of power has seemingly tilted. This shift has ruffled the feathers of liberal progressives, prompting targeted criticisms particularly against Justice Clarence Thomas, who has been accused of financial violations.

These left-wing activists appear to be employing strategies to undermine and intimidate the court. Their ultimate objective seems to be either to compel the justices to modify their opinions or to pack the court by adding four more justices if they secure the presidency, Senate, and House in the upcoming elections.

In an interview with the Daily Wire, biographer and co-editor of Created Equal, Mark Paoletta, discussed multiple incidents of attacks on Justice Clarence Thomas. Thomas, hailed by some conservatives as "the Greatest Living American," has been subject to relentless scrutiny for over three decades. For instance, 'Fix the Court', a group funded by left-wing billionaires, has released contentious information regarding gifts Justice Thomas has allegedly received.

Take, for example, the yearly summer trip Justice Thomas makes to visit a lifelong friend at his summer home. 'Fix the Court' reported this as a $613,323 gift, an assertion that has been contested as false. It is noteworthy that no other Justice has had their visits to friends classified as gifts. Moreover, Justice Thomas and his wife predominantly drove their own vehicle for these annual trips.

Further, Justice Thomas' trip to Indonesia with longtime friend, Harlan Crow, was labeled as a $500,000 gift by 'Fix the Court', assuming that Thomas chartered the boat and plane personally. Not only are personal trips being classified as "gifts” but speaking engagements at schools by Justice Thomas have been similarly categorized. This inconsistent application of gift reporting is seen when comparing Justice Thomas's travels to those of Justice Steven Breyer.

Justice Breyer took 230 reported trips from 2004 to 2023, with 63 being international. Seventeen of these trips were sponsored by the Pritzker family, one of the wealthiest families in America. Despite the extensive travel, none of Breyer's trips were considered gifts by 'Fix the Court'.

Other examples of inconsistent reporting include a college scholarship named after Justice Thomas' son being considered a $35,000 gift, even though neither Justice Thomas nor any family member received any personal benefit from it. In contrast, Justice Ginsburg's acceptance of one million dollars from the Peruvian Institute to distribute to organizations of her choosing was not considered a gift.

This targeted scrutiny extends to Justice Thomas attending a football game at the University of Nebraska. The ticket’s face value was $65, yet 'Fix the Court' considered it a $987 gift. Similarly, flights to California, most of which were for speeches and conferences (a routine activity for Justices), were tagged as gifts amounting to $997,000.

Justice Thomas has also been targeted by ProPublica who reported that he had taken a yacht trip to the Bahamas, which never occurred. The boat’s owner wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee stating that the story was false. Yet, ProPublica has not amended their story to report that Justice Thomas was not violating the law by not disclosing his personal trips with Harlan Crowe. This is despite the Judicial Conference's findings that Justice Thomas did not fail to disclose any necessary information.

The media's silence, except for The New York Post’s Steven Nelson, about President Joe Biden’s vacations is notable. Nelson reported this May that President Joe Biden omits free vacations at million-dollar homes from ethics forms.

The Center for Renewing America filed a complaint against Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for failing to report her husband’s consulting income for ten years, a disclosure issue which has yet to be corrected.

Paolttea asserts that these persistent attacks fuel the fervor of activists who oppose and even threaten Justices. In March 2020, Senator Chuck Schumer warned Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch to vote in a certain way or face repercussions. Shortly thereafter, an assassination plot against Justice Kavanaugh was unveiled.

Despite it being a criminal offense, conservative Justices have had protestors appear at their residences, without any charges filed. These Justices are now under 24-hour protection and receive death threats, all because certain individuals and groups are dissatisfied with the court's conservative leanings.

This ongoing conflict demonstrates the battle for control over the US Supreme Court. As the court's decisions continue to shape the nation's laws and societal norms, the need for electing representatives who will protect the courts is imperative. The notion that groups are advocating for adding more justices as a means of “stacking the court” to their favor is alarming and should concern all of us as citizens.