New book shows supreme court justice Clarence Thomas once supported press freedom

Rightwinger says Times v Sullivan ruling should go, but reporter reminds readers he did not always think that way

A new book describes how in confirmation hearings in 1991, the future supreme court justice Clarence Thomas said he had no agenda" to change free speech protections established by New York Times v Sullivan - the landmark 1964 ruling Thomas now says should be reconsidered.

We should protect our first amendment freedoms as much as possible," Thomas said 34 years ago, in exchanges long obscured by history.