Conservative activist Ginny Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, was present at the 6 January 2021 rally which preceded the attack on the Capitol that day by a mob of former president Donald Trump’s supporters.
Ms Thomas, who was a frequent visitor to the Oval Office during Mr Trump’s presidency, told a writer for the right-wingWashington Free Beacon that she “did attend” the Ellipse event but “left early” before the then-president spoke.
She explained how she was “disappointed and frustrated” by the violence that day, which she contrasted with the “peaceful gathering” she attended.
"There are important and legitimate substantive questions about achieving goals like electoral integrity, racial equality, and political accountability that a democratic system like ours needs to be able to discuss and debate rationally in the political square. I fear we are losing that ability,” she said.
According to numerous media reports, Ms Thomas allegedly played a mediating role in convincing a pair of longtime rival activists — Jenny Beth Martin of Tea Party Patriots and Amy Kremer of Women for America First — to help fundraise and organise for the 6 January event.
But the conservative operative told the Free Beacon she did nothing of the sort and denied any role in organising the multiple rallies which led to the Capitol riot.
"I played no role with those who were planning and leading the Jan. 6 events," she said. "There are stories in the press suggesting I paid or arranged for buses. I did not. There are other stories saying I mediated feuding factions of leaders for that day. I did not."
