SCOTUS, Supreme Court

Clarence Thomas Asked A Question!

Clarence Thomas speaks!

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clarence thomas RFAt oral arguments today in Voisine v. United States, Clarence Thomas asked a question. When reached for comment, every Supreme Court watcher said:

Clarence Thomas has not asked a question during oral arguments for over a decade. He doesn’t believe in asking questions at oral arguments, because he believes oral arguments are just for show.

But Antonin Scalia is dead, so maybe the far right needs a new show pony? The AP reports:

Thomas’ questions came in case in which the court is considering placing new limits on the reach of a federal law that bans people convicted of domestic violence from owning guns.

With about 10 minutes left in the hourlong session, Justice Department lawyer Ilana Eisenstein was about to sit down after answering a barrage of questions from other justices. Thomas then caught her by surprise, asking whether the violation of any other law “suspends a constitutional right.”…

During the first 45 minutes of the argument, most of the justices appeared to favor the government’s position that even reckless acts of domestic assault fall under the law. Thomas did not pose questions to Virginia Villa, the lawyer arguing on behalf of the two men.

But Thomas peppered Eisenstein with several questions about Second Amendment gun rights, a topic no other justice had asked about. He noted that the law allows someone convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge to get a lifetime ban on possessing a gun “which at least as of now results in suspension of a constitutional right.”

“The suspension is not directly related to the use of a weapon?” Thomas asked.

The man stands mute for ten years, and then shows up to defend the right of domestic abusers to own firearms. Wonderful.

And did you notice the line “at least as of now”? Thomas didn’t just speak, he snarked. TALK ABOUT A SHOW. With Scalia gone, it appears that low-information Trump voters aren’t the only ones who are worried about the federal government coming for your guns.

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It looks like Clarence Thomas has thrown his hat into the ring as the carrier of Scalia’s legacy. Thomas has always been a loquacious speaker off the bench. Is he now willing to be a conservative mascot on the bench as well? The rest of this term is going to be fun.

Justice Thomas asks questions in court, 1st time in 10 years [Associated Press]

Earlier: Justice Clarence Thomas Speaks! At The Federalist Society Conference

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