Senator Cory Booker turned heads last week during Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing by comparing himself to “Spartacus” for threatening to release Committee confidential documents from the judge’s past.
The grandstanding made for great TV but led only to Booker releasing documents that proved that Kavanaugh was against racial profiling. The Senator was laughed at and criticized by his colleagues for the dramatic performance, with Senator Marco Rubio tweeting “On this day in 71B.C. the Thracian gladiator Spartacus was put to death by Marcus Licinius Crassus for disclosing confidential scrolls. When informed days later that in fact the Roman Senate had already publicly released the scrolls, Crassus replied “Oh, ok, my bad”.
On this day in 71B.C. the Thracian gladiator Spartacus was put to death by Marcus Licinius Crassus for disclosing confidential scrolls. When informed days later that in fact the Roman Senate had already publicly released the scrolls, Crassus replied “Oh, ok, my bad”.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 7, 2018
However, one of the biggest burns of Booker came from sitting Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Speaking with the Federalist Society, Justice Thomas was asked about the general politicization of the court by politicians and preserving the “legitimacy” of the court.
Thomas scoffed at the question, saying that justices need to be “honest,” and “follow the law.” Thomas then said that the word “honorable” needs to be used more in relation to those in public life. Thomas said “Honorable – if we could use that word about more people who are in public life, people who actually ask the questions at confirmation hearings, instead of ‘Spartacus’…”
Thomas was interrupted by the audience in the room, who loved the dig at Booker.
WATCH:
From last week, Justice Clarence Thomas: “Honorable – if we could use that word about more people who are in public life, people who actually ask the questions at confirmation hearings, instead of ‘Spartacus’…”
Watch full @FedSoc conversation – 7pm ET on C-SPAN2 #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/PNgIofgvJC
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 12, 2018