Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, conservative activist and wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, apologized to Thomas’ former law clerks for creating a divide on the court as a result of her post-election support for former President Donald Trump.
In an email sent by Thomas in mid-January first reported on by The Washington Post on Tuesday, the activist told her husband’s former clerks, as well as their spouses and partners, “I owe you all an apology. I have likely imposed on you my lifetime passions.”
Thomas also endorsed Trump’s Jan. 6 rally that ended as a deadly riot at the Capitol building.
“My passions and beliefs are likely shared with the bulk of you, but certainly not all. And sometimes the smallest matters can divide loved ones for too long. Let’s pledge to not let politics divide THIS family, and learn to speak more gently and knowingly across the divide,” Thomas wrote to the former clerks.
Justice Thomas is not active on the email chats.
Thomas has been criticized for her supportive comments of Trump and for her endorsement of the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the riot. She posted several supportive messages about the event on the day of the insurrection.
Two days after the attack, Thomas amended one of the posts with the addendum: “[Note: written before violence in US Capitol].” By that point, five people involved in the insurrection, including a Capitol police officer, had died. Thomas’ Facebook page was taken down on Jan. 8.
In the message sent to the private email list, Thomas asked the recipients to talk to her individually about where she had “failed” them.
“I would ask those of you on the contrary side to have grace and mercy on those on my side of the polarized world, and feel free to call and talk to me individually about where I failed you as a friend here,” she said. “I probably need more tutoring … Otherwise, on behalf of both of us, be assured of our love for each of you.”
In recent days, a Trump-related dispute broke out between some of the members of the private email list. One member, upset by the pro-Trump messages shared by Thomas and others in the group prior to and after the election, shared some of the messages with The Post.
Members of the group typically share primarily about personal events and don’t dig into politics in email chains.
But in the apology email, Thomas also expressed her frustration about Trump’s loss in the election.
“Many of us are hurting, after leaving it all on the field, to preserve the best of this country,” she wrote. “I feel I have failed my parents who did their best and taught me to work to preserve liberties.”
More than 200 people have been charged in connection to Jan. 6 insurrection, as the prosecutors continue to file more charges against those involved.
