Where Is Clarence Thomas? No Comment From Court On Hospitalization Status

The Supreme Court isn’t saying a word about the health of Justice Clarence Thomas, 73, who was hospitalized last week for “flu-like symptoms.”

Thomas was expected to be released from Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday after he was diagnosed with an infection, according to a statement the court released Sunday. Thomas was admitted to the hospital last Friday, and the court has not said since then whether he was released as expected.

“Court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe declined on Wednesday to provide an update on Thomas’ condition to the AP and CNN,” People magazine wrote.

Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that Thomas was “unable to be present today,” adding that the justice would review the arguments’ transcript and briefs, according to the Associated Press.

Here’s the court’s full statement released on Sunday: “Justice Clarence Thomas was admitted to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., on Friday evening after experiencing flu-like symptoms. He underwent tests, was diagnosed with an infection, and is being treated with intravenous antibiotics. His symptoms are abating, he is resting comfortably, and he expects to be released from the hospital in a day or two. Justice Thomas will participate in the consideration and discussion of any cases for which he is not present on the basis of the briefs, transcripts, and audio of the oral arguments.”

“It is not COVID related. The Justice does not have COVID,” a court spokesperson told CNN.

SCOTUS Blog, which closely tracks the Supreme Court, said it is not unusual for little information to be released about the health of justices.

“The dearth of information about Thomas’ condition is not unusual. The Supreme Court often provides relatively few details about the justices’ health, to the extent that it discloses information at all. In July 2020, for example, Chief Justice John Roberts was hospitalized overnight after a fall at a Washington-area country club near his home; the court confirmed the incident only in response to an inquiry weeks later from The Washington Post, which learned about the fall from someone who saw it,” the blog said. “The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was generally more forthcoming than most of her colleagues about her health problems, but in 2020 she waited several months to disclose that she had been diagnosed with cancer again.”

Thomas was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to the Supreme Court in 1991 and succeeded the liberal Justice Thurgood Marshall. His absence at the court comes as the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated by President Joe Biden to replace Justice Stephen Breyer.

Related: Justice Clarence Thomas Hospitalized With Infection Friday Night

Related: ‘I Sure Hope A Certain Thing Happens’: Left Targets Clarence Thomas After Reported Illness

Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent, and ran the Drudge Report from 2010 to 2015. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

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