U.S. Supreme Courtroom
Conservative nonprofits funded $1.8M marketing campaign to assist Thomas on twenty fifth SCOTUS anniversary
U.S. Supreme Courtroom Justice Clarence Thomas poses for an official portrait within the Supreme Courtroom constructing Oct. 7, 2022, in Washington, D.C. The fundraising prowess of the Federalist Society’s Leonard Leo was on show upfront of the twenty fifth anniversary of Thomas’ affirmation. Picture by Alex Wong/Getty Pictures.
Leonard Leo, a former govt vice chairman for the conservative Federalist Society, is a “behind-the-scenes” benefactor for conservative U.S. Supreme Courtroom justices, supporting them throughout affirmation battles and once more after they take the bench, in response to the Washington Submit.
His fundraising prowess was on show upfront of the twenty fifth anniversary of Justice Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Courtroom affirmation. Conservative nonprofits “steered” by Leo spent at the very least $1.8 million for a “coordinated and complicated” public relations marketing campaign supporting Thomas, in response to the Washington Post’s examination of information and interviews.
“The marketing campaign would stretch on for years and embody the creation and promotion of a laudatory movie about Thomas, promoting to spice up constructive content material about him throughout web searches, and publication of a e book about his life,” the Washington Submit stories.
A lawyer who “set the general public relations marketing campaign in movement and served as its public face” is Mark Paoletta, a Washington, D.C., lawyer who labored within the George H.W. Bush administration on the time of Thomas’ affirmation. Paoletta disclosed on monetary disclosure kinds earlier than he joined the Trump administration {that a} nonprofit known as the Judicial Schooling Venture paid him and his firm MP Methods practically $300,000.
Whereas being paid, Paoletta wrote op-eds attacking Thomas accuser Anita Hill and supporting Thomas. He additionally labored with a public relations firm tied to conservative nonprofits that created a Thomas fan Twitter account and web sites that supported Thomas and opposed Hill’s accusations.
Paoletta additionally discovered a conservative filmmaker to make the Thomas movie, known as Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Personal Phrases. It was partly funded by the Harlan Crow household, an nameless benefactor and the Judicial Schooling Venture.
In 2017, Paoletta turned counsel to then-Vice President Mike Pence after which served as normal counsel for the Trump administration’s Workplace of Administration and Funds. He informed the Washington Submit that he has not been paid to defend Thomas because the finish of 2016, earlier than he joined the Trump administration. He additionally stated that any op-eds that he wrote supporting Thomas had been his phrases alone, and nobody authorized what he wrote.
Paoletta stated Thomas was a pricey pal who has been “outrageously maligned as a result of he’s a Black conservative who has by no means bowed to these on the left who demand that he suppose a sure method due to the colour of his pores and skin.”
Extra just lately, the Judicial Disaster Community continued the Thomas public relations marketing campaign. Leo advises the group, which spent $1.5 million final 12 months selling the Thomas movie. Leo left his position on the Federalist Society to go the general public relations firm that labored on the Thomas challenge, which is now known as CRC Advisors.
Leo didn’t reply detailed questions from the Washington Submit, however he did problem an announcement praising the Thomas movie.
