Health Care

Weiner Says SCOTUS Will Rule Against Health Care Law, Paving Way For Public Option

Brian Beutler | March 23, 2011, 12:41PM

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)

This is more in the spirit of partypooping than of celebration. But on the first anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, one of the law's most dogged defenders, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), admitted he thinks the Supreme Court will strike down the individual mandate. It's not that he thinks the mandate is unconstitutional, but that the court has become so partisan, that its conservative justices will rule against President Obama in a 5-4 decision. He wasn't glum about it, though -- if the mandate goes he said it will pave the way for Congress to pass the public option.

"If lightning strikes, and it turns out that as many of us believe, the Supreme Court turns out to be a third political branch of government and they strike down the mandate -- big deal," Weiner said, expressing a 'so what?!' sentiment. "Big deal!"

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Daily Caller

Carlson: Ginni Thomas Will Not Interview Or Write About Business Clients

Brian Beutler | March 22, 2011, 12:46PM

Despite her long history of conservative and tea party advocacy, her recent lobbying gig, and her marriage to a Supreme Court Justice, Ginni Thomas' new boss at The Daily Caller isn't worried that his latest hire will cause editorial head aches for him and his staff.

"She is an old friend of my business partner Neil Patel," said Tucker Carlson in a phone interview Tuesday morning. Carlson co-founded the Caller with Patel, a former Dick Cheney adviser, in January 2010. In recent weeks, the site has picked up some high-profile new employees, including former Slate and Newsweek blogger Mickey Kaus. But Carlson seemed genuinely bewildered by the reaction to his latest human resources decision.

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Ginni Thomas

The Daily Caller Hires Tea Partying Wife Of Supreme Court Justice As 'Special Correspondent'

Brian Beutler | March 22, 2011, 10:19AM

Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

Ginni Thomas, the tea party leader, health care reform foe, and controversial wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, will join The Daily Caller as a reporter.

From Business Wire: "As The Daily Caller's special correspondent, Thomas will interview key political and community leaders -- from high-profile politicians to grassroots activists -- with a focus on listening to those outside the Beltway."

Thomas is no stranger to the spotlight. She worked in 2010 to defeat Democrats, and her role as a de facto tea party, anti-health care reform lobbyist have led critics to demand that her husband recuse himself when the health care law appears before the Supreme Court.

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112th Congress

Reps. Weiner and Murphy: Force Politicized Supremes to Recuse Themselves

Benjy Sarlin | March 1, 2011, 5:28PM

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

Taking up progressive complaints that the Supreme Court has become dangerously politicized, Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) are introducing legislation that could require justices to recuse themselves in certain cases.

"The problem is the only person who can decide whether Justice Thomas can recuse himself is Justice Thomas," Murphy told reporters at a press conference outside the Capitol. "That's wrong and that needs to change."

The bill would allow the Judicial Conference, which determines standards of recusal for federal judges, to examine Supreme Court members as well and create guidelines for determining a conflict of interest. They could even force members to step down from certain cases if they determined a procedure for such a move. The bill would also require members to offer an explanation if they decide to recuse themselves voluntarily as to why they declined to judge a case.

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Ginni Thomas

So What's Ginni Thomas Up To Now?

Eric Lach | February 7, 2011, 3:45PM

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Virginia Thomas

Last week came news from Politico that Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has set up a new shop, Liberty Consulting, just a few months after leaving Liberty Central, the Tea Party group she founded in 2009.

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Ginni Thomas

Virginia Thomas: Supreme Court Justice's Wife -- And 'Ambassador' To GOP Freshmen?

Eric Kleefeld | February 4, 2011, 11:54AM

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Virginia Thomas

Virginia Thomas, the conservative activist and wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has emerged in yet another role -- as a "self-appointed ambassador" to the GOP freshman class. However, nobody has yet confirmed her claims of these extensive ambassadorial duties.

When we last heard from Ginni Thomas this past October, she had left a voicemail with Anita Hill -- the woman who accused Clarence of Thomas of sexual harassment during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings way back in 1991 -- asking for an apology. (Ginni Thomas later said the call was "probably a mistake.") Now, as Politico reports, Ginni Thomas has gone to great lengths to promote her expertise and influence at her new firm, Liberty Consulting:

Thomas already has met with nearly half of the 99 GOP freshmen in the House and Senate, according to an e-mail she sent last week to congressional chiefs of staff, in which she branded herself "a self-appointed, ambassador to the freshmen class and an ambassador to the tea party movement."

An interesting thing, though -- Politico had a hard time finding a freshman who has actually met with Ginni Thomas. "This is the spouse of Justice Thomas?" said a seemingly surprised Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ). "No, I've never met her. It's not something I've heard about. And I hang out with a lot of freshman," he said.

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