Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court - this is edited October 13, 1991. Commitee hearing after the Anita Hill charges of sexual harassment. Panel in support of U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Clarence Thomas from the third panel of witnesses on the third day of his reopened Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Panel includes Stanley Grayson, Carlton Stewart, John Doggett, and Charles Kothe.
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Carlton Stewart. Good evening, Senators, Senator Thurmond - I see that Senator Biden's seat is empty - and other distinguished members of the committee. My name is Carleton Stewart. I am a graduate of Holy Cross College and the University of Georgia Law School. I was formerly house counsel to Shell Oil Company, in Houston, Texas, and Delta Airlines, in Atlanta, Georgia, respectively. Additionally, I was a senior trial attorney with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in Atlanta, Georgia, and later a special assistant to Judge Clarence Thomas, in Washington. Subsequently, I was as partner in the law firm of Arrington & Hallowell, in Atlanta, Georgia, and I am currently a principal in the Stewart firm in Atlanta, Georgia. As aforestated, I was a special assistant to Judge Clarence Thomas at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during much of the time that Anita Hill was employed there. At no time, did I hear any complaints from Ms. Hill concerning sexual harassment. At no time during my tenure at EEOC, did I observe or hear anything relative to sexual harassment by Judge Clarence Thomas. In August of 1991, I ran into Ms. Anita Hill at the American Bar Association Convention, in Atlanta, Georgia, whereupon she stated, in the presence of Stanley Grayson, how great Clarence's nomination was and how much he deserved it. We went on to discuss Judge Clarence Thomas at our tenure at EEOC for an additional 30 or so minutes. There was no mention of sexual harassment nor anything negative about Judge Thomas stated during that time. Senator Strom Thurmond (R South Carolina). Would you pull the microphone closer to you, so that people in the back can hear you? Carlton Stewart. Okay. I will boom for you. I have known Judge Clarence Thomas for more than 30 years, and I find the allegations by Ms. Hill not only ludicrous, but totally inconsistent and inapposite to his principles and his personality. I will shorten this, so that we can get on with this. Thank you.
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Stanley Grayson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Thurmond, members of this Judiciary Committee. My name is Stanley E. Grayson. I reside in the city and State of New York. I am a vice president at the investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs & Company. Immediately prior to joining Goldman Sachs, approximately 20 months ago, I served as the Deputy Mayor for Finance and Economic Development for the City of New York. I am a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and the College of the Holy Cross. During the weekend of August 10, 1991, while at the hotel and conference headquarters for the American Bar Association's convention, in Atlanta, Georgia, I was introduced to Professor Anita Hill by Mr. Carleton Stewart. At this meeting, Ms. Hill, Mr. Stewart and I sat and conversed for at least 30 minutes. During the course of our conversation, in the presence of Mr. Stewart, Ms. Hill expressed her pleasure with Judge Thomas' nomination, and stated that he deserved it. During this time, Ms. Hill made no mention of any sexual harassment by Judge Thomas, nor did she in any way indicate anything that might call into question the character or fitness of Judge Thomas for the U.S. Supreme Court. To the contrary, she seemed to take great pride in the fact that she had been a member of Judge Thomas' staff at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.