Few people have considered late-night host John Oliver all that funny or insightful for a while, but even his diehard fans might admit he crossed the line on Sunday night’s show.
He went so far, in fact, that some on social media were calling for his arrest.
In the season premiere of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the host demonstrated the left’s hatred of conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas by imploring him to resign.
“We have a special offer for you tonight: We are prepared to offer you $1 million a year for the rest of your life if you simply agree to leave the Supreme Court immediately and never come back,” Oliver told Thomas, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“This is not a joke. If you watch our show, you know jokes aren’t really our thing. This is real. A million dollars a year — until you or I die,” he said.
As seen in a clip shared on X, Oliver walked backstage while sarcastically telling the justice he had a “lot on your plate right now, from stripping away women’s rights, to hearing cases you definitely shouldn’t be hearing, to potentially rolling back decades of federal regulations.”
“You deserve a break,” the host said. “You know, away from the meanness of Washington.”
Then, in a move that the audience reaction indicated was supposed to be funny, after suggesting Thomas spend time among “the regular folk whose lives you’ve made demonstrably worse for decades now,” Oliver unveiled a “brand-new, top-of-the-line Prevost Marathon motorcoach” worth $2.4 million.
After enumerating the amenities of this luxury bus, the HBO hosted laid out his offer.
In Oliver’s words, it was “a million dollars a year, and a brand new condo on wheels, and all you have to do in return is sign the contract and get the f*** off the Supreme Court.”
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some viewers may find offensive.
“Get the f*ck off the Supreme Court!” John Oliver offers Clarence Thomas a luxury motor coach, and $1 million a year, to resign from the Supreme Court. (Video: HBO) pic.twitter.com/LUVD6zC5o3
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) February 19, 2024
The segment may have ended with applause and adulation from the audience of clapping seals, but the response of the real people in the real world was much more polarized.
“Trying to bribe a Supreme Court justice is a Crime,” one commenter said.
Trying to bribe a Supreme Court justice is a Crime.
— “Veritas est Lux” (@AstartesAp) February 19, 2024
Another asked, “Why is he trying to take a job from a black man?”
Why is he trying to take a job away from a black man?
— Double-tap Thoughts (@doleseric) February 19, 2024
Other commenters concurred with the original assessment.
Sounds like attempted bribery to me. Time to lock him up. 🤣
— TexasSloopy (@SloopyTexas) February 19, 2024
He should be arrested for bribing a Federal judge.
— Ashley Sinclair (@AshleySinclair0) February 19, 2024
As others are saying and it’s the first thing I thought too…
Isn’t this illegal?
— Roy Posner (@royposner) February 19, 2024
One user said, “18 U.S.C. § 201(b) – Oliver is subject to 15 years in prison and a $60 million fine, but because he is left wing it’s likely that nobody will have the stones to prosecute. Two tier justice system.”
18 U.S.C. § 201(b) – Oliver is subject to 15 years in prison and a $60 million fine, but because he is left wing it’s likely that nobody will have the stones to prosecute. Two tier justice system. 🤷🏻♂️
— Glen Bradley (@GlenBradley) February 19, 2024
So, could Oliver legitimately face jail time for this bit?
It’s hard to say. Presumably, HBO wouldn’t be dumb enough to let one of its hosts put himself and the network on the hook for a $60 million fine or jail time.
However, according to the text of the U.S. Code that was cited, it is indeed a federal crime to bribe a public official “to influence any official act.”
That said, Oliver and HBO probably could cover their bases by calling this “satire” and contending that retiring from office does not constitute an “official act” — which is fair enough.
Is Clarence Thomas your favorite Supreme Court justice?
Regardless, it was still an unseemly display that showed how much Thomas still triggers the left.
Despite their purported desires for racial equality and justice, nothing angers leftists more than black conservatives.
They will set aside all thoughts of black oppression to heap the vilest of insults and accusations on people like Candace Owens and Sen. Tim Scott who won’t buy into the leftist victimhood narrative.
Thomas’ championing of the Constitution and conservative causes such as the pro-life movement sends liberals into apoplectic fits, trying to smear his name or get rid of him by any means possible.
But none of it has worked.
Whether they were accusing him of sexual harassment or financial mismanagement, in every case, Thomas’ conduct has remained unimpeachable.
If none of that has convinced the 75-year-old justice to retire, Oliver’s condescending rant on his increasingly irrelevant show won’t have any more success.
