Justice Clarence Thomas doesn\u2019t say much during oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. He\u2019s also got a calm demeanor and a hearty laugh.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And he\u2019s been one of the best additions to the court in its distinguished history. He knows the Constitution like the back of his hand. So when a decision is made that seems injurious to the nation\u2019s founding document, he responds like a parent trying to protect a child.<\/p>\n
Thomas took other justices to task on Tuesday after a majority of the court refused to hear a lawsuit brought by Florida against Washington and California:<\/p>\n
Justice Clarence Thomas accused California and Washington of undermining federal immigration and trucking safety standards after a deadly Florida highway crash, blasting the Supreme Court on Tuesday for refusing to hear a case Florida had \u201cnowhere else to bring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida alleged the two blue states improperly issued commercial driver\u2019s licenses to illegal immigrants in violation of federal standards requiring English proficiency and lawful immigration status for certain commercial drivers, arguing the policies created a public safety threat on American roads.<\/p>\n
Thomas, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, said the Supreme Court had a constitutional obligation to hear the dispute because lawsuits between states can only be brought before the high court.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this Court does not exercise jurisdiction over a controversy between two States, then the complaining State has no judicial forum in which to seek relief,\u201d Thomas wrote.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s only one court in the country that can hear lawsuits between states, and that\u2019s the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
More:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Thomas argued that Florida\u2019s allegations against Washington and California were serious because failing to follow federal commercial licensing laws can create dangerous road conditions and, he said, has contributed to deadly crashes.<\/p>\n
Thomas pointed to the fatal Florida highway crash involving\u00a0truck driver Harjinder Singh, who he said \u201ccould not read the road signs,\u201d and argued Florida deserved a chance to pursue its claims.<\/p>\n
People in the country illegally who can\u2019t read road signs in English can\u2019t be allowed to drive 80,000-pound tractor-trailers on American highways,\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFederal law and regulations prohibit States from providing commercial driver\u2019s licenses to applicants unless they pass a driver\u2019s test, sufficiently understand the English language, and show appropriate immigration status,\u201d Thomas noted.<\/p>\n
Thomas wrote that while the court may exercise discretion when deciding whether to hear ordinary appeals, disputes between states stand on different constitutional footing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have no more right to decline the exercise of jurisdiction which is given, than to usurp that which is not given,\u201d Thomas wrote.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s right, of course. Florida now has no other recourse to pursue legal claims for the deaths of three of its residents. So not only were those deaths in vain, the two blue states who issued the Indian trucker a license get off scot-free.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an outrageous development; Thomas and Alito are right to be upset about it. More than that, we have seven justices who think it\u2019s okay to ignore a basic function of the high court: Settling disputes between states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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