Ginni Thomas, wife of Clarence Thomas, acknowledges she attended Trump rally that preceded Capitol riot
WASHINGTON – Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, told The Washington Free Beacon she attended President Donald Trump’s rally Jan. 6, 2021, but didn’t help organize it and left before violence erupted at the Capitol.
Ginni Thomas told the newspaper for a story published Monday that she was in the crowd at the Ellipse near the White House but that she went home before Trump spoke because it was cold.
“I was disappointed and frustrated that there was violence that happened following a peaceful gathering of Trump supporters on the Ellipse on Jan. 6,” Thomas told the Free Beacon. “There are important and legitimate substantive questions about achieving goals like electoral integrity, racial equality and political accountability that a democratic system like ours needs to be able to discuss and debate rationally in the political square. I fear we are losing that ability.”
Two publications – The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine – each published stories in recent months about Thomas’ political activities, including her promotion of the rally on social media. She posted on Facebook that day: “LOVE MAGA people!!!!” before the march turned violent. “GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU STANDING UP or PRAYING!”
The New York Times Magazine reported that Thomas acted as a peacemaker between feuding rally leaders. Thomas denied that.
“I played no role with those who were planning and leading the Jan. 6 events,” Thomas told the Free Beacon. “There are stories in the press suggesting I paid or arranged for buses. I did not. There are other stories saying I mediated feuding factions of leaders for that day. I did not.”
Connection to the rally is contentious because a mob of Trump supporters later ransacked the Capitol, injuring 140 police officers and temporarily halting the count of Electoral College votes in the presidential election Joe Biden won. The Justice Department has charged nearly 800 defendants in the attack.
Reporting on Ginni Thomas focuses on the potential influence of her political causes on Justice Thomas’ decisions at the high court. Her website says she speaks to grassroots and activist groups in the conservative movement to help them achieve common goals.
The Supreme Court didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from Justice Thomas.
In the Free Beacon, Ginni Thomas said she and her husband have separate careers.
“Clarence doesn’t discuss his work with me, and I don’t involve him in my work,” she said.
Ginni Thomas said she wouldn’t be deterred from her political advocacy.
“If you are going to be true to yourself and your professional calling, you can never be intimidated, chilled or censored by what the press or others say,” she said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ginni Thomas, wife of Clarence Thomas, says she went to rally Jan. 6
