Of all the Supreme Court justices, it is Clarence Thomas who is perhaps the most inscrutable. Often called the “Ebony Sphinx” of the panel, he is noted for not uttering a single word during over 350 cases argued before the Court in the last six years. While some have said that his rapt attention to the issues presented in hearings preclude interrupting the attorneys as they speak, others have wondered aloud if he has had images of eyeballs tattooed on his eyelids so that he can nap during the proceedings.
Chastised by detractors because his written opinions are as sparse as his spoken statements, many on the Left have scorned his frequent use of a pre-inked rubber stamp on Supreme Court opinions that simply says, “I agree with Justice Scalia”.
On the rare occasions when Justice Thomas takes on public speaking engagements, he is noted for staying away from thorny issues involving the law or politics, preferring instead to regale his audiences with folksy stories from his childhood, which invariably include anecdotes about floating down the Mississippi river on a raft with his friends Tom and Huck. In fact, Thomas credits his relationship with Tom as providing the spark that got him belatedly going off to school to learn “the Three R’s”.
When asked about their colleague on the nation’s highest court, some of the other justices are often vague in their responses. Chief Justice John Roberts, for instance, is quoted as having said, “what’s to say… Clarence was already on the Court when I took over. I do like the way he …. doesn’t rock the boat.”
Justice Antonin Scalia was a bit more caustic. “He’s always looking over my shoulder when I write my opinions. He waits until the last minute to add his two cents.”
When asked whether she thought Clarence Thomas was an asset to the Court in its current configuration, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg simply said, “who?”