Congressman says Thomas abandoned his principles to become an extremist, hard-right member of bench

The senior Democratic congressman James Clyburn said his decision to support Clarence Thomas for a US supreme court seat “was a mistake” and called for the expansion of the nation’s highest legal panel to 13 justices.

Clyburn, of South Carolina, spoke up for Thomas at his fiery 1991 confirmation hearings, calling him “a personal and professional friend” who would use their shared experiences lifting minorities and advancing civil rights to become a respected and accomplished jurist.

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© Photograph: Matt Kelley/AP

© Photograph: Matt Kelley/AP

© Photograph: Matt Kelley/AP

Mark Paoletta, also a close associate of Justice Clarence Thomas’s, has been named by President Trump to lead the National Capital Planning Commission.

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times