CNN This Morning presented viewers on Tuesday with the breaking news that Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis was friends with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and that they first met three years ago at the 2020 Federalist Society Dinner. They also found it scandalous that DeSantis praised Thomas on stage, while introducing him.
CNN hosts Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly repeatedly referred to this news (or perhaps history) as fascinating. They also took issue with Federalist Society co-chairman Lenard Leo, who Introduced the men and had a private dinner with them.
“So, we have really fascinating new details from our colleague Joan Biskupic reporting this morning about how a very wealthy conservative activist may have helped Florida Governor Ron DeSantis seal a tight relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas,” Harlow said. “Three years ago, at Disney World, at an event for the Florida chapter of the conservative group the Federalist Society, Governor DeSantis had this to say about Justice Thomas.”
Harlow played a three-year-old clip of DeSantis who said, “This is a justice that has the courage of his convictions, and he is willing to apply the constitution, you know, regardless of any criticism that he may face. Because, I do think he is our greatest living justice. Thank you.”
Due to the importance of this dated comment, CNN called in reinforcements to understand what it might have meant. Harlow asked CNN’s Supreme Court Analyst Joan Biskupic this question:
This is so interesting, sort of the world you take us into, and we-we all know how powerful the Federalist Society is – right? From Federal Judges all the way up to the Supreme Court. But what can you tell about, sort of, what seems to be DeSantis following the path that former President Trump took in 2016, running on ‘these are the kind of justices I will get on the Supreme Court?’
Biskupic explained the connection between DeSantis, Trump, and the Supreme Court, “Lenard Leo was one of the men, and they were men, in a small band advising President Trump on who to choose for the Supreme Court. And then Lenard Leo started advising Governor DeSantis when he won the state house down in Florida in 2018.”
Further discussion ensued regarding how Leo, DeSantis, and Thomas went so far as to visit a steakhouse after the Federalist Society event in 2020.
CNN This Morning co-host Phil Mattingly summarized the news coverage: “And, Joan, you know, part of the-the fascinating element of this article that you’ve written of the story that you’ve got is it really reveals, kind of, the tight relationships that have developed between DeSantis, Lenard Leo, and Supreme Court Justice Thomas, some of which traces to the 2020 Federalist Society Dinner.”
CNN spent five minutes discussing Leo’s 2020 introduction of Ron DeSantis to Justice Clarence Thomas. Viewers may be assured that no detail was too small or too innocuous for CNN to cover.
CNN’s anti Republican coverage of the debt ceiling was made possible because of a sponsorship from Flex Seal. Their contact information is linked.
The Transcript is below, click “expand” to read.
CNN This Morning
6/6/23
6:37 a.m. Eastern(…)
POPPY HARLOW: And staying on the Supreme Courts. So, we have really fascinating new details from our college Joan Biskupic reporting this morning about how a very wealthy conservative activist may have helped Florida Governor Ron DeSantis seal a tight relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
The Activist’s name, you probably know it, Lenard Leo has previously advised DeSantis and former President Trump on judicial nominations including nominations for the Supreme Court. He’s also close friends with Justice Thomas, and DeSantis has praised him for his conservative stances on the court, Thomas that is.
Three years ago, at Disney World, at an event for the Florida chapter of the conservative group the Federalist Society, Governor DeSantis had this to say about Justice Thomas.
(start clip)
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL, January 31, 2020): This is a justice that has the courage of his convictions, and he is willing to apply the constitution, you know, regardless of any criticism that he may face. [Transition] Because, I do think he is our greatest living justice. Thank you. [Transition, DeSantis and Thomas shaking hands on stage]
(end clip)
HARLOW: Quite a statement after that speech that DeSantis gave. Justice Thomas and Lenard Leo, all three of them went to dinner, sealing a relationship that could help him, DeSantis, in his race for the White House.
Our Supreme Court Analyst Joan Biskupic joins us now. This is so interesting, sort of the world you take us into, and we-we all know how powerful the Federalist Society is – right? From Federal Judges all the way up to the Supreme Court. But what can you tell about, sort of, what seems to be DeSantis following the path that former President Trump took in 2016, running on ‘these are the kind of justices I will get on the Supreme Court.’
JOAN BISKUPIC: Good morning Poppy and Phil. Yes, you know, Donald Trump even said halfway through his tenure, ‘One of the reasons I became president is because of the Supreme Court.’ He vowed to appoint conservatives, anti-abortions rights justices, and followed through in his three appointments. And Lenard Leo was one of the men, and they were men, in a small band advising President Trump on who to choose for the Supreme Court. And then Lenard Leo started advising Governor DeSantis when he won the state house down in Florida in 2018.
So, he’s had this relationship between the two men, and, you know, Lenard Leo has a huge big-dollar donor support base. He hasn’t said who he’s supporting yet in the sprawling GOP primary race, but he has praised Governor DeSantis and, you know, certainly been advising him in his choices down in Florida, Poppy.
PHIL MATTINGLY: And, Joan, you know, part of the-the fascinating element of this article that you’ve written of the story that you’ve got is it really reveals, kind of, the tight relationships that have developed between DeSantis, Lenard Leo, and Supreme Court Justice Thomas, some of which traces to the 2020 Federalist Society Dinner.
What happened, and how was Leo, I think is, being as his way, the go-between between DeSantis and Thomas?
BISKUPIC: Certainly, he’s – Lenard Leo is at the center of so much when it comes to what happens with the judiciary federally and at the state level. He has known Clarence Thomas since 1990 here in Washington, and he has long known Governor DeSantis also since Governor DeSantis was at Harvard Law School and on the Federalist Society.
And at this 2020 Florida Federalist Convention, you know, you saw there Governor DeSantis introducing Clarence Thomas, and then afterwards, they go to this private dinner at this steakhouse. And Lenard Leo told me that, you know, that’s where those two men really got talking.
But you know Phil, they already were so aligned. The kinds of things that Clarence Thomas is known for in the law, you know, anti-gay rights, anti-abortion rights, anti-press rights, are the kinds of things that are certainly part of Governor DeSantis’ state agenda, and now his presidential campaign agenda. So, those two men probably would have been in sync anyway, but there was Lenard Leo helping to bring them together in early 2020.
(…)