Justice Clarence Thomas misses hearings, no explanation given

April 15 (UPI) -- Conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas missed Monday's hearing on two cases and the court did not explain his absence.

It has been customary for Chief Justice John Roberts to announce if a justice is sick or participating remotely if they cannot attend hearings.

On Monday, Roberts said that Thomas would "participate fully" through transcripts and briefs, but gave no reason for the absence.

Thomas, at 75, is the oldest among the jurists, appointed by George H.W. Bush to replace Thurgood Marshall in 1991. He will be 76 in June.

The cases on Monday involved an appeal of a corruption case involving a former Indiana mayor and the other dealt with when to consider malicious prosecution claims under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Thomas and fellow conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch missed a hearing in February where the court explained they were both "under the weather."

In 2022, Thom missed a hearing and the court revealed he had an infection and had to be hospitalized.

House Democrats have called for ethics investigations against Thomas after it was reported last year that he had long accepted gifts from wealthy conservative donors and not reported them. In January, Democrats demanded that Thomas recuse himself from deciding on whether former president Donald Thomas should remain on the ballot in Colorado.