Virginia Lamp Thomas

Infobox_Person
name = Virginia Lamp Thomas
residence = Virginia
other_names = Ginni


imagesize = 194px
caption = Virginia Lamp Thomas looks on as her husband Clarence is sworn in as Supreme Court Justice
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birth_place = USA
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occupation = Director, Executive Branch relations
title =
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party = Republican
boards =
religion = Episcopalian
spouse = Clarence Thomas
partner =
children =
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website = [http://www.heritage.org/about/staff/VirginiaThomas.cfm Heritage Foundation]
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employer = Heritage Foundation
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Virginia Lamp Thomas (born February 23, 1957) is the wife of United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and a consultant at the conservative public policy Washington, D.C. based research institute, the Heritage Foundation. She had previously participated in the controversial Lifespring training, but later became a critic of the organization.

Family

Virginia grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. Virginia and Clarence Thomas married in 1987.cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =The Clarence Thomas you don't know
work =Atlanta Journal
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =July 1, 2001
url =
accessdate = ] They live in Virginia. [cite news
last = Malone
first = Julia
coauthors = Bob Dart
title = Judge Thomas: Tough, but `down to earth' Court nominee called comfortable with self
work = The Atlanta Journal
pages = Page A1
language =
publisher =
date = July 4, 1991
url =
accessdate = ]

Career

Virginia Thomas received her law degree in 1983 from Creighton University School of Law and served on its Law Advisory Board from 2006 to 2007. [ [http://law.creighton.edu/index.aspx?p=1104 Law Advisory Board] , Creighton University, Law School Advisory Board 2006-07, Virginia Lamp Thomas.] Thomas had worked as an attorney in Omaha, Nebraska. [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Wife Who Shares His Views Now Sharing Thomas' Pain
work =Roanoke Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =October 13, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] She first gained federal political experience as a congressional aide and later worked as an attorney and labor relations specialist for the United States Chamber of Commerce in 1988. [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Chamber of Commerce Backs Concept of Child Care Bill
work =The Washington Post
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =February 11, 1988
url =
accessdate = ] [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =No More Warnings on Illegal Workers
work =Beacon Journal
pages =
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publisher =
date =June 1, 1988
url =
accessdate = ] While at the Chamber of Commerce, Thomas helped to lobby against the Family and Medical Leave Act, arguing that it intruded into the private sector. [cite news
last =Stanton
first =Betsy
coauthors =
title =Big business: Family and Medical Leave Act is a bitter pill
work =Daily News Record
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =December 10, 1987
url =
accessdate = ] In 1989, she served as manager of employee relations at the Chamber of Commerce. [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Help wanted: skilled workers for the '90s
work =Purchasing
pages =
language =
publisher =Reed Business Information, Inc.
date =September 14, 1989
url =
accessdate = ] In 1991, Thomas was employed by the United States Department of Labor, [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title = Thomas, a Conservative, Nominated to High Court Confirmation Fight
work =The Boston Globe
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =July 2, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] and worked in the legislative affairs office. [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Self-Made Conservative; Nominee Insists He Be Judged on Merits
work =The Washington Post
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =July 2, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Drug Abuse Among Women Expected to be Major Issue
work =Lexington Herald Leader
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =September 30, 1989
url =
accessdate = ] While at the Department of Labor, Thomas argued against comparable-worth legislation which would have mandated equal pay for men and women in the workplace. [cite news
last =Carlson
first =Margaret
coauthors =Joseph J. Kane, Staci D. Kramer
title =The Supreme Court: Marching to a Different Drummer
work =Time Magazine
pages =Page 5 of 5
language =
publisher =
date =July 15, 1991
url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,973404-5,00.html
accessdate = ]

Virginia Thomas was with her husband during his Senate confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court of the United States, [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Thomas Concludes Testimony
work =The Washington Post
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =September 17, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] and stood by his side when he officially thanked all his supporters after being confirmed 52 to 48 to succeed Justice Thurgood Marshall. [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Senate Confirms Thomas by 52 to 48 To Succeed Marshall on Supreme Court
work =The Washington Post
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =October 16, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] During the confirmation hearings, some Democratic Senators had complained about Virginia Thomas' work and brought up claims of conflict of interest. [cite news
last =Toner
first =Robin
coauthors =
title = CONTESTING THE VOTE: POLITICAL MEMO; Day-to-Day Duels on Political Issues Have Grown Increasingly Personal
work =The New York Times
pages =Late Edition, Final, Section A, Page 26, Column 1
language =
publisher =The New York Times Company
date =December 13, 2000
url =
accessdate = ] She later was interviewed by "People Magazine", where she described the difficult process her husband had faced while under the scrutiny of the Senate Confirmation hearings.cite news
last =Corn
first =David
coauthors =
title =Beltway Bandits
work =The Nation
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =December 9, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] She referred to the confirmation process as a "trial by fire" for her husband. [cite book
last =Smitherman
first =Geneva
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =African American Women Speak Out on Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas
publisher =Wayne State University Press
date =1995
location =
pages =Page 191
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0814325300]

In 1994, Thomas worked for Representative Dick Armey, as a policy analyst. [cite book
last =Swenson
first =Michele
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Democracy Under Assault
publisher =Sol Ventures Press
date =2005
location =
pages =Page 98
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0976678802] [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title = Congress: Dole Won't Block Helms
work =Rocky Mountain News
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =November 24, 1994
url =
accessdate = ] Conflict of interest issues were also raised in 2000, when Thomas worked for the Heritage Foundation, collecting résumés for potential presidential appointments in the George W. Bush Administration. [cite news
last =Dee
first =John
coauthors =
title =Supreme Court (In)Justice
work =Lumpen
pages =Coup 2K
language =
publisher =
date =January 2001
url =http://www.lumpen.com/coup2k/framer.html?pg=11
accessdate = ] cite news
last =Marquis
first =Christopher
coauthors =
title = Job of Clarence Thomas's Wife Raises Conflict-of-Interest Questions
work = The New York Times
pages =
language =
publisher =The New York Times Company
date =December 12, 2000
url =http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/121200-02.htm
accessdate = ] Thomas later served as White House liaison to the Heritage Foundation. [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =After 10 years on Supreme Court, Thomas finds a comfortable routine
work =Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =September 4, 2001
url =
accessdate = ]

Critic of Lifespring

Virginia Thomas has been a prominent critic of the controversial self awareness group called Lifespring. Mrs. Thomas asserted in an interview with "The Washington Post" that she had to seek counseling after her decision to break away from Lifespring. She had first taken the Lifespring training while working as a congressional aide.cite news
last =Fisher
first =Marc
coauthors =
title = I Cried Enough to Fill a Glass: In One Lifespring Session, Trainees May Find Themselves Crawling on their Hands and Knees, Wailing Like Infants and Tightly Hugging 200 Total Strangers - All to Get Control of Their Lives. Does it Work? Sometimes.
work =The Washington Post
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =October 25, 1987
url =
accessdate = ]

Thomas left Lifespring in 1985, and joined the Cult Awareness Network. [cite book
last =Phelps
first =Timothy M.
authorlink =
coauthors =Helen Winternitz
title =Capitol Games: The Inside Story of Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill and a Supreme Court Nomination
publisher =HarperPerennial
date =1993
location =
pages =Pp. 115, 116
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0060975539 ] She ultimately had to hide in another part of the country in order to avoid a constant barrage of phone calls from Lifespring members, urging her to remain in the organization. [cite news
last =Marcum
first =Kirsten
coauthors =Adam Larson, Illustrations
title =Cult Status: In which the author struggles to escape the psychological shackles of a self-help seminar
work =Minneapolis City Pages
pages =Volume 22, Issue 1092, COVER STORY
language =
publisher =
date =November 7, 2001
url =http://www.citypages.com/databank/22/1092/article9923.asp?page=2
accessdate = ] [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =
title =Thomas' Wife Raps Lifespring
work =San Antonio Express-News
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =July 18, 1991
url =
accessdate = ] Thomas has spoken on panels and organized anti-cult workshops for congressional staffers in 1986 and 1988.cite news
last =Blumenfeld
first =Laura
coauthors =
title =The Nominee's Soul Mate
work =The Washington Post
pages =Page F01
language =
publisher =
date =September 10, 1991
url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/lifespring/main.htm
accessdate = ] In a 1991 interview, Thomas commented on Lifespring, stating "they are pretty scary people." She also asserted: "I was once in a group that used mind control techniques." [cite news
last =Staff
first =
coauthors =The Washington Post
title = Thomas' Wife Was Victim of Cult
work =The Buffalo News
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =July 6, 1991
url =
accessdate = ]

References

Notes

Further reading

*cite book
last =Fletcher
first =Michael A.
authorlink =
coauthors =Kevin Merida
title =Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas
publisher =Doubleday Publishing
date =2007
location =
pages =
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0385510802
*cite book
last =Gerber
first =Scott Douglas
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =First Principles: The Jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas
publisher =NYU Press
date =1999
location =
pages =
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0814731007