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Clarence Thomas news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Clarence Thomas said Alito called him 'scary' at Yale. The justice's rare podcast interview also covered farmwork and precedent.
Background
Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court's most senior conservative justice, gave a rare interview on Senator Ted Cruz's podcast 'Verdict' to promote Cruz's new book 'Going Further.' During the conversation, he discussed his law school days, his judicial philosophy, and his views on precedent, drawing on his childhood farmwork as a metaphor.
How it unfolded
- Aug 26, 2026Thomas's interview with Ted Cruz aired on the 'Verdict' podcast, where he recalled Alito saying he was 'scary' at Yale Law School.
- Aug 27, 2026Reports highlighted Thomas's comments that farmwork shaped his views on precedents, comparing a crooked first row in plowing to legal precedent.
- Aug 29, 2026Newsweek reported that Thomas may get a chance to overturn Locke v. Davey, a 2004 case he dissented in, due to a similar case involving a student denied scholarship for ministry studies.
- Aug 30, 2026Rep. James Clyburn said on 'Meet the Press' that supporting Thomas's confirmation was a mistake and called for expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices.
Who’s saying what
- Support
- Sen. Ted Cruz praised Thomas's journey from a 'left-wing radical' to an 'extraordinary' conservative thinker.
- Caution
- Rep. James Clyburn said his support for Thomas was a mistake, calling him an 'extremist, hard-right' justice and backing court expansion.
Still unverified
Thomas's claim that Alito called him 'scary' is based on his own recollection and has not been independently confirmed.