Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Drew Angerer | Getty Images
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was discharged from the hospital Friday, a week after he was admitted with an infection, a court spokeswoman said.
Thomas, 73, was treated with antibiotics at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., after “experiencing flu-like symptoms,” according to the court.
A spokeswoman disclosed the justice’s condition on Sunday night, two days after he was admitted, saying in a press release that Thomas’ symptoms were “abating” and that he expected to be released “in a day or two.”
The court had not responded to requests for additional information between Sunday night and Friday morning. The only update from the court during that period came from Thomas’ colleague on the bench, Justice Stephen Breyer, who was questioned outside a restaurant in Washington on Wednesday by TMZ.
“I think he’s fine,” Breyer said of Thomas.
Thomas was discharged less than a day after news outlets revealed that his wife, Virginia Thomas, had sent an array of text messages urging then-President Donald Trump’s top aide, Mark Meadows, to try to overturn the 2020 election following President Joe Biden’s victory.
Thomas is currently the longest-serving justice on the high court, and the second oldest, behind the 83-year-old Breyer, who is retiring.
He was hospitalized throughout the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick to replace Breyer on the bench.
If confirmed, Jackson will become the first Black woman to serve on the top U.S. court, and her appointment will maintain the court’s current 6-3 conservative majority.
Earlier Friday, conservative Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he will vote for Jackson, all but ensuring she will be confirmed.
Thomas did not participate in oral arguments before the court on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. At the start of each day’s proceedings, Chief Justice John Roberts announced that Thomas “is unable to be present today but will participate in consideration and decision” of the cases based on court briefs and transcripts of the arguments.
