20 Years Late, Thomas' Ex-Girlfriend Says Justice Loved Porn

20 Years late, justice clarence thomas ex-girlfriend says he loves porn

Talk about being a day late and a dollar short!

Nearly 20 years after it would have mattered, the ex-girlfriend of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Thomas was "obsessed" with pornography and loved big-breasted women so much he asked one particularly busty colleague her bra size.

At first blush, these "bombshell" revelations from Lillian McEwen, 63, disclosed in the Washington Post seem like nothing more than tawdry bits of insignificant gossip about one of the nation's most powerful lawmakers.

But to people like me recalling Thomas' wrenching 1991 confirmation hearings and opposed to the conservative justice's appointment, McEwen's disclosure leaves a sick feeling in the pit of the stomach.

Had McEwen told the world what she knew and backed up the testimony of Anita Hill, an aide who accused Thomas of sexual harassment which he denied, Thomas might not be on the high court today.

For the official record, McEwen was never asked to testify by then-Senator Joe Biden. But as Thomas' former girlfriend, she or her handlers could have called a press conference to tell the world that Thomas did have loose lips when the ladies at work were involved.

To be fair, should Thomas' affinity for porno and big breast obsession alone have been enough to keep him off the Supreme Court? Of course not. The Supreme Court has been the home to racists like Roger B. Taney and other scoundrels.

But during the confirmation hearing and after his vehement denial of Hill's allegation, Thomas set himself up as a man of complete virtue. He even said at one point that he never discussed the controversial Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

At the time, Thomas' nomination was far from a sure thing. And if McEwen had told the world that Thomas did, in fact, have a thing for women at work, it likely would have turned the tables against his nomination.

In the 20 years since the hearing, Thomas has grown to be exactly what progressives feared - a consistent, reliable vote for conservatives.

I was curious as to why McEwen would break her silence after all these years.

Turns out that the former prosecutor and law professor has written a memoir and is shopping it to publishers. Sounds like a pretty sleazy reason to me to finally get your tongue wagging.

I don't really care what McEwen has to say now in her quest to sell some books. I would have paid serious attention back in 1991, however, when it would have mattered.