Clarence Thomas: supreme court could be ‘compromised’ by politics

The court is set to rule this year on divisive issues including abortion, gun control, the climate crisis and voting rights

• The Agenda: how the supreme court threatens US democracy

The US supreme court could at some point" become compromised" by politics, said Clarence Thomas - one of six conservatives on the nine-member court after Republicans denied Barack Obama a nomination then rammed three new justices through during the hard-right presidency of Donald Trump.

You can cavalierly talk about packing or stacking the court," said Thomas, whose wife, Ginni Thomas, has come under extensive scrutiny for work for rightwing groups including supporting Trump's attempts to overturn an election.