Joe Scarborough Bashes Clarence Thomas Calling for Reviews of Contraception, Gay Marriage…but Not Interracial Marriage
Joe Scarborough called out Justice Clarence Thomas for saying the overturn of Roe V. Wade could lead to the overturning of several landmark cases for privacy rights, but not the one he benefits from.
Morning Joe discussed the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling on Monday by talking about which people will be affected the most by the rollback of federal protections for abortion rights. It was during this conversation that Scarborough said “the hypocrisy is extraordinary” from Republicans on the issue of abortion, and “it was fascinating that Clarence Thomas showed that hypocrisy in his decision.”
Scarborough was referring to the concurring opinion Thomas wrote where he focused on the Fourteenth Amendment element of the Dobbs case. In his opinion, Thomas called for the review of “demonstrably erroneous decisions” based on substantive due process, listing as examples Griswold v. Connecticut (1965, granting the right of married persons to obtain contraceptives), Lawrence v. Texas (2003, right to engage in private, consensual sexual acts), and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015, right to same-sex marriage).
“[I]n future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” wrote Thomas. “Because any substantive due process decision is ‘demonstrably erroneous,’ we have a duty to ‘correct the error’ established in those precedents.”
Scarborough found it intriguing that Thomas would call for a review of these cases, but not Loving V. Virginia, the case that struck down bans on interracial marriage. Thomas’ wife, Ginni Thomas, just so happens to be white.
He talked about how contraception rights should be reviewed again. He talked about marriage equality, how that should be opened up. He talked about what consenting adults can do in the privacy of their bedroom, that should be taken up. But he didn’t, for some reason, talk about Loving. Isn’t that fascinating? He didn’t talk about interracial marriages. I saw that a lot of people brought that up, and saying ‘Why didn’t he say that?’ I saw that as being so typical of these Republicans, these so-called pro-life Republicans, and what they would do for their own children, what they would do for their own loved ones if medically necessary if there was a crisis, and yet, what they won’t do for poor women in rural states that are thousands of miles away from where they can have a safe procedure.
Watch above, via MSNBC.
