Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Blankenship speaks to his supporters during the primary election in Charleston, West Virginia, U.S., May 8, 2018.
In his appeal to the Supreme Court, Blankenship's lawyers said that the media is now dominated by a few giant corporations that seek profits ahead of public service.
The Supreme Court previously rejected Blankenship's appeals seeking to overturn his conviction.
Thomas in 2019 took aim at the 1964 defamation precedent in an opinion he wrote when the court refused to consider reviving a defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby.
Thomas added that defamation law was historically a matter for the states, and should remain that way.
Persons:
Don Blankenship, Lexi Browning, Donald Blankenship's, Blankenship, Sullivan, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Joe Manchin, Blankenship's, Bill Cosby, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham
Organizations:
Republican U.S, Senate, REUTERS, U.S, Supreme, Massey Energy, Fox News, MSNBC, U.S . Senate, New York Times, Conservative, Republican, Democratic, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Circuit, Big Branch, Thomson
Locations:
Charleston , West Virginia, U.S, West Virginia, Richmond , Virginia, Massey's