New Evidence in Weiner's Case for Thomas Recusal

BY JOSEPH STRAW

Disclosure of additional earnings by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife has Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn) renewing calls that he sit out cases involving last year’s health-care reform law.

The report by Liberty Central, a conservative activism group founded by Ginni Thomas, indicates that she earned up to $150,000 there in 2010 on top of more than $685,000 she was paid by prominent conservative thinktank The Heritage Foundation.

Her work for groups that opposed the law creates a conflict of interest, Weiner argues. Earlier this year he wrote the judge asking that he recuse himself from any cases that test it, and around 90 of Weiner’s colleagues signed on.

The high court is expected to consider challenges to the law’s constitutionality over the coming year.

“It’s pretty clear the justice has one option here: recusal," Weiner said Friday.

Opponents accuse Weiner of applying a double standard because he votes on appropriations for the State Department, where his wife, Huma Abedin, works.

Weiner directs his critics to the law requiring disqualification if the judge or judge’s spouse “has a financial interest in the subject matter in controversy.”

jstraw@nydailynews.com