Justice Clarence Thomas is one of the quieter Supreme Court justices, at least at oral argument and in terms of media appearances. (He can be quite gregarious and charming in smaller settings.)
But Justice Thomas recently sat down for a chat with Business Week, which you can read here. The interview focuses on Justice Thomas’s undergraduate education at Holy Cross and the effect that the Reverend John E. Brooks had upon CT as a mentor.
You can read excerpts at the WSJ Law Blog. We think the Law Blog hits the most important parts. But we’d add to the mix Justice Thomas’s comments about his college classmate and friend, superstar defense lawyer Theodore Wells, now defending I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby:
Do you feel a sense of fraternity with the people you went to school with?
In a distant way, I absolutely do. We don’t pal around. I absolutely admire Ted Wells and he and I are quite different. He’s one of the finest lawyers in the United States. But you know what? It’s not unpredictable. It’s something that could have been predicted. Think of the people who took chances on him.
There was a wonderful fraternity—The Cross. When you were a crusader, you looked after each other—no matter where you were. That doesn’t mean they would always be in a position to do you a favor. But they were there, just as a friend. I’ve never been turned away by a graduate of The Cross.
While we’re on the subject of Justice Thomas, we’re curious about your opinions of him. Please take our poll:
Online Extra: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Speaks [BusinessWeek]
BusinessWeek Interviews Justice Thomas [WSJ Law Blog]
