U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recused himself Monday morning from a case related to the rioting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Thomas had faced criticism from many on the left over his wife’s political activities, including her apparent support of the overturning of the official results of the 2020 election.
The justice offered no explanation for the recusal, but many believe it may be due to one of his former law clerks, John Eastman, being a litigant in the case.
Eastman had filed an appeal against a ruling allowing his former employer, Chapman University of Orange, California, from turning over his archived emails when he worked there as a law professor. He argued that the emails were protected under attorney-client privilege, but a lower court disagreed, saying the privilege didn’t extend to crime and fraud.
The Supreme Court turned down the appeal, but the case was considered moot because the committee had already concluded its investigation after receiving the information members were seeking.
Eastman argued that despite the case being moot, the ruling damaged his reputation and that of former President Donald Trump.
“The crime-fraud ruling of the district court imposes a stigma not only on petitioner,” read the court petition, “but also on his former client, the former president of the United States and current candidate for the presidency in 2024.”
Liberals have sought to impugn Thomas’ integrity by claiming that his wife’s political activities prove that he cannot be unbiased when deciding cases before the highest court of the land. These efforts have often been mocked and ridiculed by those on the right who defend Thomas.
Eastman is also facing disbarment in California over his opinion that the vice president had the power to decide which electors would be sent to Congress as a part of the confirmation of the presidential election.
Here’s Eastman speaking in his defense:
John Eastman speaks after turning himself in following Georgia election indictmentswww.youtube.com
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!