George Will’s column in the Sunday, April 10, 2022, AJC ”Debate over texts from wife misguided,” grossly minimizes the recent actions of Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
In a series of texts and phone calls to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, it was revealed that Mrs. Thomas “strategized” with Meadows suggesting various schemes to overturn the lawful election of Joe Biden and allow the loser of the vote, Donald Trump, to criminally seize the the US presidency.
Mr. Will compares this unlawful coup attempt and Mrs. Thomas’ actions to “a guy in the stadium’s upper deck yelling “Roll Tide” and that “shouting suggested plays” is the same as “strategizing with Alabama’s football team.” So, upon further review, referee Will declares no penalty, no foul.
Mrs.Thomas’s actions can best be comprehended by continuing with Mr.Will’s football metaphor.
First, I submit that it would not be out of the realm of possibility that the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers would play for the National Championship every four years or so.
If Ms. Thomas were that Alabama fan in the upper deck, she would not be yelling “Roll Tide!” but would be plotting with sports addled, power craving criminals and dangerously obsessed fans to throw the game in Alabama’s favor by any means necessary. Leading up to the event, Mrs.Thomas and her fellow conspirators “strategize” and plot various illegal and bizarre schemes to blatantly subvert the integrity of the game, but when all else fails, they conspire to recruit and then incite a violent mob of deluded fans to storm the Auburn locker room. The mob threatens the star Tiger players with bodily harm, while a lynch mob looks to hang assistant coach Pike Mence.
Fortunately, stadium security is able to escort the Auburn players and staff to a place of safety, but at the cost of serious injuries to multiple stadium employees. Meanwhile the mob vandalizes and trashes the locker room and steals the personal possessions of the Auburn player’s and staff.
Eventually, the mob is expelled and the players are safely brought back to the stadium. The game is completed according to all NCAA rules and regulations, although some rowdy fans protest every first down, competed pass and every penalty called by the referees, just because they are jerks.
(Check your favorite sports sources for the final score)
While the outcome of the game was eventually determined according to the rules, some fans wondered whether various league and conference officials and administrators have potential conflicts of interest. It is important in the future that loyal football fans have confidence that violators of SEC or NCAA regulations will be assessed the appropriate penalties, and that steps are taken to prevent another such attack on the integrity of the game. Those appointed to investigate and judge these matters must have unimpeachable character.
Mr. Will manages to miss the point of Mrs. Thomas’s texts and actions. Her words and deeds might well border on the criminal. The “kerfluffle” that Mr. Will describes was not a mere perception of impropriety or an “appearance” of a “possibility” of wifely influence on her husband’s judgment, but was in reality, an unprecedented attempt to participate in the sabotage and denial of the peaceful transition of power. Even before the election, Thomas and her co-conspirators plotted to retain in office the likely losing candidate, Donald Trump, and deny the actual winner,Joe Biden.
It is imperative that Justice Thomas recuse himself from voting on any cases concerning the recent election, if only because his wife was involved in trying to subvert it. It shouldn’t take a Supreme Court majority decision to determine that, thanks to his wife’s words and deeds, Justice Clarence Thomas has a blatant conflict of interest.
Disclaimer: The above is a political parable and is in not intended to imply that the administration of the University of Alabama, the Crimson Tide’s football coaches or staff or it’s dedicated fans would participate in any unlawful activity or would knowingly violate any NCAA or SEC regulations.