Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on March 23 missed his third consecutive day of oral arguments after being hospitalized earlier in the month as the court refuses to provide an update on his condition.
Thomas, 73, “is unable to be present today,” Chief Justice John Roberts told the court, before continuing to repeat a line word-for-word about the justice participating in the decisions on all the cases the court has been hearing.
Thomas began missing oral arguments on Monday, a day after a court spokeswoman revealed he had been hospitalized with an infection on Friday.
The spokeswoman told The Epoch Times that the infection is not related to COVID-19 but declined to share more details on the justice’s condition.
In a statement that day, the court said Thomas was “resting comfortably” and “his symptoms are abating.” It also said he was expected to be discharged from the hospital “in a day or two.” It said he was being treated with intravenous antibiotics.
The court didn’t respond to an email on Wednesday. Reached by phone, a spokeswoman refused to say whether the justice is still in the hospital.
She pointed back to the March 20 press release, adding, “That’s the only information we have available at this time.”
Ginni Thomas, the wife of the justice, has not commented publicly on his status and has not responded to requests for comment.
Sibley Memorial Hospital has declined to share details about Thomas, including whether he is still being cared for at the facility.
Thomas is the longest-serving justice on the court and the second-oldest.
Provided he remains on the court, Thomas will become the oldest when Justice Stephen Breyer retires in the summer.
Breyer is stepping down to allow President Joe Biden to pick his replacement. Biden nominated Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who has been answering questions in Senate hearings all week.
From The Epoch Times
