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Clarence Thomas becomes the second longest-serving justice in Supreme Court history
His seniority gives him outsized influence as the court’s conservative majority has expanded and his former clerks fill government and judicial posts.
On Thursday, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas marked 34 years on the Supreme Court, becoming the second-longest serving justice in history and surpassing Justice Stephen J. Field.
Once an outlier on the nation's highest court, Thomas has become a towering figure in the conservative legal movement following the appointment of three conservative justices by Republican President Donald Trump.
Stanford University law professor Pamela Karlan noted that Thomas' seniority allows him to decide who writes opinions when Chief Justice John Roberts is not in the majority, shifting internal court dynamics.
Recently, Thomas has faced ethics questions regarding undisclosed luxury trips from a GOP megadonor; he maintains he was not required to disclose them and has declined to recuse himself from related cases.
With no signs of retirement, Thomas could overtake William O. Douglas as the longest-serving justice in 2028. Law professor John Yoo said Thomas appears "more energized and excited now" than decades ago.