Justice Thomas rises: A monumental Supreme Court term's rightward shift shows no sign of slowing

Justice Clarence Thomas celebrated his 74th birthday last week with a gift he delivered himself — authoring the majority opinion in a gun rights case that will have nationwide implications.

It was the capstone to a monumental, but splintered term that saw the 6-3 conservative majority prevail on a bounty of hot-button issues and building momentum to a dramatic rightward shift that shows no sign of slowing.

As the senior associate justice and de facto driver of the conservative wing, Thomas this year used his deft leadership in the court:

– Striking down Roe v. Wade and the nationwide, constitutional right to abortion, returning the issue to the states 

– Making it easier for law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm in public places

– Limiting the Biden administration's ability to enforce a number of executive policies, from federal COVID-related workplace mask mandates to climate change regulations

– Favoring parents seeking to use public tuition assistance to send their children to religious schools and favoring public prayer on a high school football field.