Thomas

Justice, they say, is blind, but may it also be dumb? Critics of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas don't think so. They fault the court's most conservative member for not asking a single question of lawyers over the last five years. His silence, they argue, bespeaks a lack of engagement with the cases he helps decide. It also allegedly deprives lawyers of a window into his thinking. We don't agree. There is no requirement that justices speak at oral argument. In the past, it was much less common for justices to pepper lawyers with questions, let alone spar with their colleagues, the way they do today.

WASHINGTON - President Obama on Wednesday will nominate venture capitalist Thomas Wheeler as the nation's top telecommunications regulator, tapping a major campaign fundraiser with long ties to the media and the telecom industries, White House and industry officials said. Wheeler, managing director of Core Capital Partners in Washington, D.C., would replace Julius Genachowski as chairman of the five-member Federal Communications Commission board. Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who was mentioned as a candidate, will take over as acting chairman when Genachowski steps down in the coming weeks.

Safety Earl Thomas does a lot for the Texas football team. He has eight interceptions, which is second in the nation, and 71 tackles, which is second on the team. He even puts points on the scoreboard, having returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns. Yes, Thomas does just about everything except play in the band. And even that could be arranged. Thomas, a sophomore, has little down time between practice with the Longhorns and practice with Bad Bones, a jazz group based in Austin, Texas.

Thomas Mueller scored twice, Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben had one goal each and Bayern Munich routed Barcelona, 4-0, Tuesday night in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal in Munich. Bayern Munich sent Barcelona to its first four-goal defeat since a 4-0 loss at Getafe in the Copa del Rey semifinals on May 10, 2007. Barcelona, which has won three of the last seven titles, had lost by four goals only once before in the Champions League, 4-0 at Dynamo Kiev in the group stage on Nov. 6, 1997.

Re "Justice Thomas scorns media, affirmative action in interview, March 3 Methinks that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas protests overmuch. JACQUELINE L. WILLIAMS Huntington Park

Re "Thomas breaks with conservative justices to criticize a Bush-era policy," March 8 The Times' article just underscores Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' consistently conservative record. All cases mentioned -- patients suing drug companies, growing marijuana for personal use, approving the death penalty -- point to states' rights superseding federal policies. This reflects a very conservative bent of mind. Thomas' consistent upholding of state laws over federal laws is dangerous because it can allow local feelings and prejudices to become law. Cases should instead be reviewed individually, without any personal inclination or judgment.

Cal Thomas' Dec. 3 Column Right, without citing a single evidentiary fact, concludes that the Clinton administration "has much to hide--far more than anything Richard Nixon covered up." Isn't there a point where an illogical opinion maker is laughed out of print? RICHARD C. FARRELL North Hills

My boss (a she) has been sexually harassing me. If she is ever nominated for the Supreme Court, I will be sure to bring it up. JAY JAMES, Pico Rivera

According to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, a prisoner who was slammed to a concrete floor and punched and kicked by a guard after asking for a grievance form -- but suffered neither serious nor permanent harm -- has no claim that his constitutional rights were violated. Thomas objected when the high court, in a little-noted recent opinion, said this unprovoked and malicious assault by a North Carolina prison guard amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. The court's decision came a few days after Thomas' now-famous former law clerk John C. Yoo was charged with flawed reasoning, but not professional misconduct, as a Justice Department lawyer when he applied much the same view toward the treatment of Al Qaeda prisoners.

Virginia consumer-protection officials have warned the wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that her advocacy group is improperly soliciting contributions in the state. In a letter to Virginia Thomas on Thursday, the state Office of Consumer Affairs directed Liberty Central Inc. to the Virginia law that requires groups to register with the office or request an exemption before seeking donations for a charitable purpose. Liberty Central is a Virginia-based group soliciting contributions online and is not registered or exempt, said Michael Wright, the manager of regulatory programs at the Office of Consumer Affairs, a branch of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

When it comes to trendsetters, Thomas Hudnut will go down in history as the high school educator who proved students could excel in academics and athletics at the same time. As the headmaster when Studio City Harvard High School merged with the Westlake School for Girls in 1989 to become Harvard-Westlake, he decided to launch an all-out effort "to be as much like Stanford as we possibly could. " Sports was used to gain exposure and inspire a whole different element of students to consider Harvard-Westlake, known for its academic excellence.

WASHINGTON - President Obama's pick for Labor secretary, Thomas E. Perez, emerged unscathed Thursday from a Senate confirmation hearing that was more perfunctory than contentious. Conservatives have been critical of Perez, the administration's top civil rights enforcer, portraying him as a dangerous liberal who would be an overly assertive regulator at the Labor Department. But despite predictions that his confirmation could be acrimonious, there was very little of the tough questioning that Republican adversaries said he deserved.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel stood on the lawn of Grand Park in downtown on Sunday evening to announce her endorsement by L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose African American constituency is a coveted voting bloc in the May runoff election against City Councilman Eric Garcetti. It was Greuel's first appearance since a dramatic shake-up in her campaign staff late last week. She hired a new manager and four people resigned, leaving observers to wonder if the change of horses midstream indicated a lack of confidence.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel stood on the lawn of Grand Park in downtown Sunday evening to announce her endorsement by L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose African American constituency is a coveted voting bloc in the May runoff election with City Councilman Eric Garcetti. It was Greuel's first appearance since a dramatic shake-up in her campaign staff late last week. She hired a new manager and four people resigned, leaving observers to wonder if the change of horses midstream indicated a lack of confidence.

WASHINGTON - President Obama plans to nominate the government's top-ranking civil rights lawyer as the new secretary of Labor on Monday, a key position as the administration prepares to take on immigration reform. Thomas E. Perez's nomination had been expected, but the administration said last week that the announcement was not imminent. If confirmed by the Senate, Perez would be the only Latino in Obama's second-term Cabinet. He is the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

They are the 40-year-old endorphins, providing a feel-good boost on the court at a time when most players their age have collected framed jerseys and moved on to more leisurely pursuits. Coaching and entrepreneurial endeavors aren't on the agenda for Kurt Thomas and Grant Hill. Maybe in another 40 years. Thomas is too busy starting for the New York Knicks amid a rash of injuries to younger teammates. Hill isn't slowing down, though the veteran Clippers forward did stop Knicks star Carmelo Anthony last month in a signature defensive performance.

Fans of the teen mystery series "Veronica Mars" have been clamoring for a movie ever since the show was canceled in 2007. Now they may finally get their wish, but it's going to cost them. Star Kristen Bell and creator Rob Thomas have paired up to launch a Kickstarter campaign and hope to raise $2 million by April 13. If their goal is reached, and it appears there are enough fans willing to fork over money for a product they haven't yet seen, Thomas and Bell say Warner Bros. has agreed to fund production of the film version.