In a recent interview with The New Yorker, President Biden made a veiled reference to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, describing him as a justice who "likes to spend a lot of time on yachts."
The comment was made in the context of a discussion about the potential implications of the Dobbs case, which overturned Roe v. Wade, on issues such as same-sex marriage, decriminalization of homosexuality, and access to contraception.
Justice Thomas had suggested the possibility of such implications in his concurring opinion on the Dobbs ruling. However, President Biden expressed his belief that the Supreme Court majority would not follow this path. "I think that a couple on the Court would go considerably further," Biden told The New Yorker, adding, "the guy who likes to spend a lot of time on yachts."
When asked if he was referring to Justice Thomas, President Biden reportedly responded with a grin. The president also used the interview as an opportunity to express his desire to establish Roe v. Wade "as the law of the land," stating that this would require Democrats to secure more seats in Congress.
"Ive never been supportive of, you know, Its my body, I can do what I want with it. But I have been supportive of the notion that this is probably the most rational allocation of responsibility that all the major religions have signed on and debated over the last thousand years," Biden explained.
A 2023 ProPublica report had previously highlighted Justice Thomas's luxury trips on yachts and private jets owned by Texas businessman Harlan Crow. These trips were not reported on Thomas's financial disclosure forms, as required by law. One such trip to Indonesia in 2019 could have cost upwards of $500,000 if Thomas had chartered the plane and yacht himself, according to the report.
The New Yorker also noted that the politics of abortion have historically been a challenging issue for President Biden. An aide revealed to the magazine that it's always been a "hard issue" for Biden, who is "not big" on abortion. "But it became a very easy issue for him because of the Supreme Court," the aide added.
Fox News Digital has sought a comment from the Supreme Court on the matter.
In other news, the Supreme Court has agreed to review whether former President Trump is immune from prosecution in the federal election interference case. The justices have expedited the appeal and are set to hear oral arguments in late April, with a ruling expected by late June. Trump's criminal trial has been paused until the matter is resolved.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Trump could not be removed from the 2024 primary ballot in Colorado.
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