Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
In January, Thomas held the lone dissenting opinion in the Supreme Court's order rejecting a bid from former President Donald Trump to withhold presidential records from the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
A number of people who at one point ran in Clarence Thomas's circle went on to help prop up the former president — some of whom have been evoked during the January 6 House panel's public hearings.
Conservative news host Laura Ingraham and former Trump lawyer John Eastman are among those who formerly clerked for the Supreme Court justice and now share ties with Trump.
While Thomas, who has served on the bench for more than 30 years since 1991, has had 130 law clerks, a few stand out. Here are the clerk alumni of Clarence Thomas who are tied to the Trump sphere:
Advertisement
Laura Ingraham
President Donald Trump gives Laura Ingraham a kiss after inviting her on stage during the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla.Luis M. Alvarez/AP
Greg Katsas
In this March 26, 2012, file photo, Gregory Katsas speaks outside of the Supreme Court in Washington.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
Advertisement
Patrick Philbin
In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, Deputy Counsel to the President Patrick Philbin speaks during impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on January 25, 2020 in Washington, DC.Photo by Senate Television via Getty Images
John Yoo
Former Department of Justice official John Yoo testifies before the House Judiciary committee during a hearing on the administration's interrogation policy on June 26, 2008 in Washington, DC.Melissa Golden/Getty Images
Advertisement
John Eastman
John Eastman appeared alongside Rudy Giuliani at a pro-Trump rally on January 6.Jim Bourg
Neomi Rao
Neomi Rao, a Trump-appointed judge on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, was part of a critical ruling clearing the way for the Justice Department to establish a new lethal injection method.Zach Gibson/Getty Images
Advertisement
John Eisenberg
Eisenberg served as the deputy counsel to the Trump White House, as well as legal advisor to the National Security Council during Trump's tenure.
He was among four White House officials who failed to show up to testify during the first impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, after reports suggested Eisenberg listened to complaints related to the president's call to Ukraine.
Eisenberg served as a clerk for Thomas from 2003 to 2004.
Carrie Severino
Severino is a conservative political activist and president of conservative advocacy organization Judicial Crisis Network, where she led campaigns supporting Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh's nominations to the Supreme Court.
The political activist also clerked for Thomas from 2007 to 2008.
Advertisement
William Consovoy
William Consovoy, President Donald Trump's attorney, leaves the federal courthouse in Washington following a 2019 hearing.AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
Patrick Strawbridge
Patrick Strawbridge, a former lawyer for Donald Trump, three of his children and the Trump Organization, exits the Manhattan Federal Courthouse, following a ruling by a judge to allow Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp to provide financial records to investigators, in New York City, U.S., May 22, 2019.Jefferson Siegel/Reuters
Advertisement
Though not everyone who has a Thomas and Trump connection props up the former president
Judge Carl Nichols clerked for Thomas in 1997 and 1998. He was later appointed to the federal bench in Washington, DC, by Trump in 2018.
Nichols has repeatedly ruled against Trump and his allies since being confirmed.
In July 2019, Nichols dismissed a lawsuit filed by Trump against New York state officials to prevent the state from turning over his state tax returns to House Democrats, though they had not even asked New York for financial records.
Nichols said at the time that the case put him in a "very awkward position," though he ultimately ruled to dismiss the suit, saying federal trial court wasn't the place to decide a case involving New York officials.
Two years later, in 2021, the federal judge also denied motions from Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Lindell to dismiss Dominion's lawsuits against them, allowing all defamation lawsuits from the voting systems company to proceed. He's also proceeding over Steve Bannon's contempt of Congress trial that starts on Monday, July 18.