Justice Thomas joins arguments remotely after hospital stay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Clarence Thomas participated in arguments at the Supreme Court via telephone on Monday following a hospital stay of nearly a week. Chief Justice John Roberts said at the beginning of arguments that the 73-year-old Thomas would be “participating remotely this morning.” He did not say why. Thomas asked several questions early in arguments in the case, which involved a federal law that applies to railroad workers, at one point making an analogy to when he drives his motor coach. Other justices have participated in arguments remotely since the court started its term in the fall.