We Have The Audio: What Did Justice Thomas Say?

January 18th, 2013

Here is the world-famous colloquy where Justice Thomas finally spoke.

Listen for 0:30 for the fun stuff. Listen earlier for context. Thomas speaks at 0:45. “Well, he did not.”

So what did he say? It seems that Justice Sotomayor attempted to talk at the same time as Justice Thomas. All I could make out was “Well, he did not.”

JUSTICE SCALIA: She was a graduate of Yale law school, wasn’t she?

MS. SIGLER: She’s a very impressive attorney.

JUSTICE SCALIA: And another of his counsel, Mr. Singer — of the three that he had — he was a graduate of Harvard law school, wasn’t he?

MS. SIGLER: Yes, Your Honor.

JUSTICE SCALIA: Son of a gun.

JUSTICE THOMAS: Well — he did not -­ (Laughter.)

MS. SIGLER: I would refute that, Justice Thomas.

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR: Counsel, do you want to define constitutionally adequate counsel? Is it anybody who’s graduated from Harvard and Yale?

(Laughter.)

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR: Or even just passed the Bar?

MS. SIGLER: Or LSU law.

After Thomas spoke there was uncontrollable laughter from throughout the Court. I don’t think they were laughing at Sotomayor’s “serious question.” I think I heard Kagan matter, or Harvard somewhere in there.