Transcript Updated: Justice Thomas Said “Well, there — see, he did not provide good counsel.”

January 23rd, 2013

Last week, the legal world erupted when Justice Thomas broke his seven year oath of silence on the Supreme Court. The only problem was no one knew what he said. The transcript and audio were not helpful.

Now, the transcript has been updated (of course you’ve noticed at the top of every page where it says “Official – Subject to Final Review.” Well it was reviewed, and here is “Well, there — see, he did  not provide good counsel.” Here is the full colloquy with Thomas’s updated marks.

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, there — see, he did  not provide good counsel.”

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.

Still not very funny, but at least it helps.

H/T How Appealing.