Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has returned to the bench after a one-day absence that was not explained. The 75-year-old Justice was present in his usual seat next to Chief Justice John Roberts as the court convened to hear arguments in a case related to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Despite calls from certain progressive groups for Justice Thomas to recuse himself from cases involving the Capitol riot due to his wife's involvement, he has chosen to continue participating. Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist, had attended then-President Donald Trump's rally near the White House before the events unfolded at the Capitol. She also communicated with senior Trump administration officials post-election, expressing her support and reiterating her belief in widespread election fraud.
Chief Justice Roberts announced Justice Thomas' absence on Monday without providing a reason. While it is not uncommon for Justices to miss court sessions, they can still participate remotely. However, Justice Thomas did not take part in Monday's arguments.
Two years ago, Justice Thomas was hospitalized due to an infection, which led to him missing several court sessions. Even during that time, he continued to participate in the cases being heard.
Clarence Thomas is the longest-serving among the current Justices, having been appointed to the Supreme Court in 1991.
