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Clarence Thomas Strays From Righty Line

Slams Bush team, backs consumer protection in recent case

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 9, 2009 9:12 AM CDT

(Newser) – Clarence Thomas might be the Supreme Court’s rightmost justice, but he’s “never been shy about breaking with conventional wisdom,” writes David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times. In the latest such instance, he upheld injured patients’ right to sue drug companies, arguing that “agency musings”—in this case from the Bush administration—shouldn’t override state laws to protect consumers.

Several years ago, he disagreed with a ruling that allowed federal raids on California homes growing marijuana for their own use, legal in the state but not federally. In the drug case, right-leaning justices Roberts, Alito, and Scalia sided with a drug firm after it was sued for not fairly warning the public of the risks of an anti-nausea drug; Thomas disagreed.

Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., in this 2007 file photo.
Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., in this 2007 file photo.   (AP Photo)
President Barack Obama greets Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas prior to his address to a joint session of Congress, Feb. 24, 2009.
President Barack Obama greets Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas prior to his address to a joint session of Congress, Feb. 24, 2009.   (AP Photo)
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas testifies before a Congressional subcommittee in this 2007 file photo.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas testifies before a Congressional subcommittee in this 2007 file photo.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
Forderon
Mar 9, 2009 6:29 AM CDT
"2. Why do liberal/dumbocrats stoop to name calling?".....Did I actually just read that? And you also used nObama.
Guest
Mar 8, 2009 11:44 PM CDT
When you stop writing in English and start using your own jibberish, it is difficult to understand the sense in what you're saying -- if there is any . . .
AnnieChrist
Mar 8, 2009 11:28 PM CDT
A sad commentary of the times we live in, when a Supreme Court Justice actually acts in the interest of justice instead of the interests of his political party, it becomes news. Hopefully we will see this headline someday about congress, "Public Servants Perform Acts of Public Service."

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