Clarence Thomas Just Struck Another Blow to Black Power

"Lebene Konan, is a landlord with two rental properties in Texas. Starting in May 2020, the post office stopped delivering her mail. Then it stopped delivering mail to her tenants. The post office claimed there was some dispute over the rightful owner of the properties. Over the course of two years and various attempts to rectify the problem, Konan alleged that the post office was intentionally preventing her from receiving mail, thus making it harder for her to run her properties and discouraging new tenants from moving in."

"Only one of her claims survived: The Fifth Circuit agreed to let Konan argue her claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). The Trump administration appealed, urging the high court to protect the post office from a trial and additional judicial scrutiny."

Lebene Konan, a Black landlord in Texas, sued the U.S. Postal Service after mail delivery to her properties ceased in May 2020, allegedly due to a property ownership dispute. Over two years, she attempted to resolve the issue and filed lawsuits alleging racial discrimination. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed most claims but allowed one to proceed under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Justice Clarence Thomas authored a majority opinion that protected the post office from trial and judicial scrutiny, effectively blocking Konan's ability to recover damages. This decision invokes sovereign immunity doctrine, preventing citizens from suing the government in tort cases.

Read at The Nation