Jim Clyburn regrets supporting Clarence Thomas' SCOTUS appointment, calling it a 'mistake'

Rep.

James Clyburn, D-S.C., told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday that he regretted supporting Clarence Thomas during his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing, calling it a "mistake." During the show, host Kristen Welker remarked that Clyburn had previously testified in favor of Thomas' appointment to the Supreme Court during his contentious 1991 hearing.

Since his appointment, Thomas has been considered a prominent conservative justice.

Welker asked Clyburn whether he stood by his decision to support Thomas as the Democratic Party increasingly supports court-packing and enforcing term limits for justices.

CLARENCE THOMAS PRAISED AFTER RARE TELEVISED ADDRESS WARNING OF PROGRESSIVISM GOES VIRAL "Absolutely not.

I have made mistakes in my life," Clyburn said.

"And that’s one that I made, and I will own up to that mistake.

The fact of the matter is, I had faith and confidence in the fact that his background and experiences would instruct him in his professionalism, especially sitting on the bench.

We had worked together when he was chair of the Equal [Employment] Opportunity Commission and, of course, I was running the state agency here in South Carolina ." Clyburn said that, despite their political differences, he believed that Thomas would be "upholding those precedents" set by the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act.

"I had no idea that Clarence Thomas would rebel the way he has against his own background and experiences.

He was raised by his grandfather, and he has shown very little sensitivity to the environment his grandfather grew up in Pin Point, Georgia," Clyburn said.

During the 1991 hearing, Clyburn referred to Thomas as "a personal and professional friend, in spite of the fact that he shares a conservative Republican philosophy." By Sunday, however, he referred to Thomas as a "very angry rightist." 'LOOK AT ME!' JUSTICE FIRES BACK AT CRITICS WHO DARE QUESTION HIS BLACKNESS "I had hoped that Clarence Thomas would follow the modern underpinnings of that Constitution of ours, but he has not done so," Clyburn said.

"In fact, he decided to go all the way from an angry leftist to a very angry rightist." During a rare interview with Republican Texas Sen.

Ted Cruz last week, Thomas rejected the idea that being a Black man requires him to subscribe to Democratic beliefs.