Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, asked Arizona lawmakers to try to reverse former President Trump's loss in the state in the 2020 election by choosing "a clean slate of Electors," according to emails published by the Washington Post.
Driving the news: Thomas — who never specifically named Trump or President Biden — on Nov. 9, 2020, emailed a pair of Arizona state lawmakers asking them to follow their "Constitutional duty" and take steps to "fight back against fraud."
- The emails show that Thomas played a role in attempting to keep Trump in power by overturning the 2020 election results.
Details: "Please stand strong in the face of political and media pressure. Please reflect on the awesome authority granted to you by our Constitution," Thomas said in an email to Arizona state Rep. Shawnna Bolick.
- "And then please take action to ensure that a clean slate of Electors is chosen for our state."
Context: The U.S. Constitution gives state legislatures the authority to direct how electors are selected in the state.
- In Arizona, all state elector votes are given to the candidate that won the popular vote in the state. By asking lawmakers to choose new electors after Biden's victory in the state, Thomas is suggesting that the legislature can potentially undermine the popular vote.
The big picture: Thomas' support for Trump has raised questions about a potential conflict of interest for her husband. But she has said that the two do not discuss their work.
- Thomas, the Supreme Court and both of the Arizona lawmakers that she emailed did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Catch up fast: In March, the Washington Post and CBS News released texts that showed Thomas pushed former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to overturn the 2020 election.
