Clarence Thomas writes million-dollar autobiography, denounces "left-wing zealots"

[kurth]

Justice Thomas writes autobiography
By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer

Breaking his 16-year public silence on his bitter confirmation hearings, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says Anita Hill was a mediocre employee who was used by political opponents to make claims she had been sexually harassed. Thomas writes about Hill, his former employee in two government agencies, and the allegations that nearly derailed his nomination to the high court in 1991 in his autobiography, "My Grandfather's Son."

A copy of the book, which goes on sale Monday, was obtained Friday by The Associated Press. He writes with indignation of the nationally televised hearings that he memorably called a "high-tech lynching." A child of the segregated South, Thomas says he was being pursued "not by bigots in white robes but by left-wing zealots draped in flowing sanctimony." Powerful interest groups were out to stop him at all costs and chose "the age-old blunt instrument of accusing a black man of sexual misconduct," he writes.

Hill, who is also black, had worked for Thomas at the Education Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She first made her allegations after Thomas had been nominated to the high court, 10 years after she began working for him and only after she was contacted by congressional investigators. In the book, Thomas describes Hill as touchy and apt to overreact, not someone who would wait a decade to level a charge of harassment. She had complained to Thomas only about his refusal to promote her, the justice says. "Her work at EEOC had been mediocre," he writes...

The 289-page book, for which Thomas has been paid more than $1 million by publisher HarperCollins, is an account of his up-from-poverty story from his first home in tiny Pinpoint, Ga., through his swearing-in as a justice at the age of 43... Thomas does not discuss his colleagues or his work on the court. In the roughly one-third of the book spent recounting his nomination to the court, Thomas says his opponents were obsessed with the issue of abortion and determined to stop him because they believed he would oppose abortion rights. As a justice, Thomas has called for overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070929/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_thomas_book;_ylt=Aij.txespzw1Nt9jtWrSoJ6s0NUE

[KamaAina]

1. Did Scalia ghostwrite it for him?

Y'know, like he did all of Long Dong's opinions?

[Kurovski]

2. This from a clown who crapped on the Constitution?

Bully for him.

[Mike Nelson]

3. Boycott HarperCollins, and Impeach Thomas

I don't ask for much, I know...

[mmonk]

4. Sorry but Clarence Thomas as victim won't play.

As far as zealotry goes, we're on the brink of fascism with his ilk's help.

[dflprincess]

5. If it wasn't for "left wing zealots" he'd still be living in a segregated south

and most assuredly not on the Supreme Court.

[Kurovski]

8. Oh, you got it right.

Correct.

[TankLV]

22. Oh SNAP!

ouch!

[KingFlorez]

6. He needs to cut the victim crap

His views are why people went to such great lengths to keep him off the court, he's a very dangerous and disturbed right-wing maniac. It's disgusting that someone like him would even be allowed on the court in this country.

[LiberalFighter]

7. Go to hell Thomas - You will get your just deserts

You will go down in history as a worthless piece of scum.

[Wiley50]

12. I Hear Ann Coulter Makes A Mean Creme Brulee n/t

[charlie]

9. "opponents were obsessed with the issue of abortion"

Well yeah, the whole damn country would appear to be obsessed to a guy who claimed he never once, not once, had a serious discussion about Roe v Wade before the confirmation hearings.

He still not bashful about lying his ass off, I see.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

10. Even though he's on SCOTUS, he's still pissed at a woman who stood up for herself against his

lewd and highly inappropriate behavior.

He's got the best of all worlds and yet he's bitter.

:shrug: MKJ

[CBHagman]

17. Bingo!

One double serving of self-pity and the cult of victimhood for Justice Thomas. He's in a powerful and elite position from which he can never be fired, we're paying his salary, and what does he do? Hold a grudge, depict himself as a martyr. That says more about him than it does about his opponents.

And now that the latest incarnation of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has emerged with the label "outsiders," the orgy of right-wing self-pity is very nearly complete. Perhaps that's Bush's cue to gnash his teeth a little.

[rodeodance]

11. he was helped by Affirmatice Action-----then dissed it "his up-from-poverty story"

[Zomby Woof]

13. The title conjures up twanging banjos

[spanone]

14. yes a true political appointee. unable to elevate himself above politics. shame on you clarence

shame on you

[Downtown Hound]

15. In case you've forgotten Thomas

It was a black woman that accused you of sexual misconduct.

[madeline_con]

18. You should write a book review on Amazon on this clown. n/t

[LostInAnomie]

16. This article makes him sound like he's negative about everything, which is just not true.

He writes glowingly for chapters about his favorite past-time of placing his pubes on the drinks of co-workers. :evilgrin:

[defendandprotect]

19. Does Clarence discuss his days in porn booths at Yale?

Masturbating with porn films as prep for service to Americans on the Supreme Court!!!

If there were any justice, this pervert would be gone ---

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

21. I don't begrudge him time in a "porn booth". Vive le difference.

However, using his authority to coerce women employees who were his direct reports into sharing his "private jokes" is another matter.

One situation, it's just him and his hand, the other situation, someone just trying to do their job is stuck dealing with the "I'm too sexy for the law firm" boss who holds their fate, and paycheck, in his hand.

MKJ

[Bitwit1234]

20. Did he photo copy the book...

To add to the photo copy of his penis.

[Vogon_Glory]

23. Hmmm, A Million-Dollar Book Deal...

Hmmm, so Justice Thomas got Harper Collins to pay over a million dollars? Either the right-wing organs are going to have to do an awful lot of bulk-buying to beef up book sales or some editor or other at Harper Collins is likely to face the same fate that Ms. Regan did for her OJ book.

:evilgrin:

[lligrd]

24. I Won't Read It Unless They Pay Me A Million nt