Clarence Thomas, Rupert Murdoch, And The Candidates

CLARENCE THOMAS, RUPERT MURDOCH, AND THE CANDIDATES
[SOURCE: Off The Bus, AUTHOR: Jon Wiener]
[Commentary] The long-awaited publication of Clarence Thomas's memoir, My Grandfather's Son, out Monday, makes you wonder: how come none of the presidential candidates have said a word about the Supreme Court in any of their debates? Three sitting justices are expected to resign in the next four years--and they're all on the liberal side: John Paul Stevens, David Souter, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The publication facts behind Thomas's book ought to be discussed by all the candidates: he received an advance of $1.5 million in 2003 from HarperCollins, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch. If you thought the Court dealt with any issues of relevance to Murdoch, you might call it a conflict of interest for Thomas to accept that payment--far more than any sitting justice ever received from any single source. At least you might mention the fabled "appearance of impropriety." You might call the $1.5 million a thank-you gift from Murdoch for services rendered. You might even wonder if it might be a subtle suggestion to other justices who will be ruling on Murdoch-related issues in the future.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-wiener/clarence-thomas-rupert-m_b_6670...