Getty Images
- Clarence Thomas recused himself for the first time from a January 6-related matter this week.
- Thomas has faced calls to recuse himself from such matters because of his wife's involvement.
- A Supreme Court expert said media scrutiny into Thomas' ethics may have convinced him to recuse.
After months of media scrutiny, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recused himself for the first time from a matter regarding the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
But the conservative justice's decision to withdraw his voice from the court's decision may have been an easy one due to the appeal's lacking legal merits, an expert on the Supreme Court told Insider.