100,000 demand Clarence Thomas stay out of health care hearing

Over 100,000 signatures demanding Justice Clarence Thomas recuse himself from upcoming March hearings on the Affordable Care Act were presented to the Supreme Court on Friday.

The Affordable Health Care Act was sponsored by the Obama administration and approved by Congress. USA Today writes that “The core of the law is a requirement that most people buy health insurance by 2014 or face a tax penalty.”

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on this part of the law on March 26th.

The petition argues that Thomas cannot hear the case objectively.

Thomas’s wife, Virginia Thomas, is a tea party critic of the legislation and has extensively lobbied against it. Virginia Thomas also heads the hard right Liberty Central.

The petition campaign was organized by Health Care for America Now (HCAN) and the Other 98 Percent. The Other 98 Percent is an organization attempting to end the influence of big money in U.S. politics.

“”If Justice Thomas fails to recuse himself, it will threaten the integrity of the entire Supreme Court,” said HCAN Executive Director Ethan Rome. “Justice Thomas personally has aligned himself with conservative zealots and extremist organizations dedicated to throwing out the law.”

In 2011 over 70 members of the House of Representatives asked Justice Thomas to remove himself from the Supreme Court’s hearing of the case.

HCAN is circulating letters to members of Congress signaling support for the Affordable Health Care Act. It can be signed here.