SUPREME COURT

Clarence Thomas Breaks 7-Year Silence

...to make a joke about Yale

Jan 14, 2013 by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t +

Image: AP

Judge Clarence Thomas holds the record for the longest silence on the Supreme Court bench. So it was major news today when he broke that silence.

No one's quite sure exactly what he said, but Thomas seemed to be making a cutting quip about Yale, where he earned his JD in 1974. Here's the transcript:

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

[Lawyer Carla] 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.

Thomas is known to have a longstanding loathing for the ivy league school, claiming in his autobiography that he was "tricked" into attending.

Via the Washington Post.

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71 Comments (view in Forum)

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Jan '13

thejimbo

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Reminds me of the story of the 7 year old boy who never uttered a word.. His parents did all they could to investigate his failure to speak but could not get a medical diagnosis. Then, one day at breakfast the boy said, "Oatmeal's cold."
"Johnny! You can speak!"
"Sure I can."
"Well, why haven't you said anything before?"
"The oatmeal was fine before."
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Jan '13

marine1

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yeh but how about some meaningfull intent behind his comments?
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Jan '13

DARSB

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His other record is still going strong - it's been about 7 years since he has asked a question during SCOTUS sessions.
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Jan '13

marine1

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@DARSB I guess i'm not too impressed with the supreme court. They are little more than pawns for the kings and queens and I definitely do not believe they should be appointed for life. 12 years max?
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@marine1 Post
Jan '13

DARSB

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@marine1 I kind of go back and forth on term limiting the Supremes. It would take a constitutional amendment, I believe, which isn't easy under any circumstances. When we have a brilliant Justice - Brandeis comes to mind, and I respected a lot of the Renquist decisions - you'd hate to see that talent leave the bench. When it's a lesser brain, though, like Justice Scalia (save your boos and hisses for later, please), it looks like term limits can't happen soon enough.
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Jan '13

marine1

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@DARSB Darsb my friend there are no and most likely will never be limits on anything having to do with goverment. I think they would all rather have hemorroid surgery.
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@marine1 Excellent idea.
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Jan '13

marine1

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Yea though we walk through the valley of common sense----- Where's the crapper:}
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Jan '13

paperdragons81

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Does anyone know why he was silent for 7 years in the first place?
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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Good question. If we knew why, perhaps we could reproduce those conditions and get another seven years of silence. ;-)
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@Denizen_Kate Post
Jan '13

martydotcom

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Clarence Thomas, for the past 20 years has checked "None" under "Spouse's Non-Investment Income" on his financial disclosure forms. That, we now know, was untrue. The law that is the basis for the disclosure form, includes reference to possible criminal penalties under 18 U.S. Code. She's been making 750k -$1mil acting to lobby the SCOTUS for her clients. He should be under indictment, but was allow to correct the "Error" on the forms when caught
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@martydotcom Post
Jan '13

martydotcom

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http://www.npr.org/2011/11/15/142339329/the-n...
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Jan '13

paperdragons81

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@martydotcom thank for the info
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Jan '13

paperdragons81

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@Denizen_Kate thanks for the laugh hahaahahaaaha
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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What? No comment about pubic hairs on coke cans? And here I thought he was dead the past few years and Scalia just propped him up so he could have two votes.
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Jan '13

JoeBidumb

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jessejaymes, I do not understand what is to be gained in discourse when one chooses banality?
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@JoeBidumb This coming from I guy who calls himself "JoeBidumb".
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@PNWest LOLOLOL
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Jan '13

MongoAPillager

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poor guy,no matter what he does he will always be known as Uncle Tom by his brothers and sisters children
- B4 • Vote Up r13 Replies
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Jan '13

mimi57

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Yes, so very typical of the left...they're never racist...unless the person is a black Republican, funny how that works,huh?..
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Jan '13

Mogal

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@mimi57 Irony, aint it great?
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@Mogal Post
Jan '13

MongoAPillager

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@mimi57 well.the progressives won the election and they say we should not be sore losers?so should i start bashing Mr. Thomas,i mean uncle thomas...really having a hard time getting into it,i guess this liberal hate stuff isn't as easy as they make it seem,,,???
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Jan '13

mimi57

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@MongoAPillager No, it's just blatant hypocrisy...typical.
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Jan '13

MongoAPillager

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@mimi57 maybe its just the name Thomas that sets them off,Clarence Thomas,Thomas Sowell??of course when your leading detractors are the like of jjeddie jactson and AL not so sharpton i guess it's all relative??hypocrisy ??much more Freudian i think...
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Jan '13

ctc

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I only hope it's another seven years before he decides to utter any more inconsequential garbage.
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Jan '13

Jim49418

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It's not really what he say's that matters.
It's really more about how he votes on issues that matter.
You have to remember that Topix is a liberal site, and tha Clarance Thomas is a conservative black person, who is married to a white woman.
Thats what matters according to politix.
It's always about race, or your political affiliation with topix.
I agree, and I really dont care what he say's or not.
But leave it to Topix to make a racial issue out of it.
It's alway's about race with these liberals........
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@Jim49418 If Politix is a liberal site then why do all of the polls come out in favor of the conservative position? It only looks liberal to you because most of the intelligent posts come from those on the left.
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Jan '13

Jim49418

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@PNWest LOL
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Jan '13

Oneness3am_i

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You speak when you have something to say..
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Jan '13

mimi57

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We should only be so lucky...
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Jan '13

Oneness3am_i

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@mimi57 you have a nice eye
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Jan '13

mimi57

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@Oneness3am_i ....Thanks, I actually have two! LOL
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Jan '13

mudpike

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His intelligence & therefor his humor might possibly fly over the heads of most. I'm not as smart as him , but I see it. Read between the lines. Grin .
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Jan '13

Dan_Tien

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The poor man was tricked into going to an Ivy League school where many students dream of attending but get rejected or can't afford to go? Then he was railroaded into a position on the Supreme Court? How long will this bullshit go on, brother?
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Jan '13

SignifiedNBlue

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I dont get it. Whats the point? When I read the title I really was going to confess.. The title is Coca cola, second Thomas LOL!
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Jan '13

SignifiedNBlue

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Thought he was confessing to pubic hair on coke can lol
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Jan '13

MadAmerican

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Why is this news again?
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Jan '13

Jim49418

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I wonder what Anita Hill would say,.........
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Jan '13

mimi57

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I almost forgot, Clarence Thomas was called a 'house negro' by none other than Harry Belefonte...or 'Calypso Louie'. I do believe he is a Liberal. Uhmmmmmm???
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Jan '13

PNWest

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As a supreme court justice he is entitled to handle the job any way he sees fit. As he tells it the lawyers presenting cases before the SC are the best in the nation. Both sides are quite adept at presenting their points and countering their opponents. There really isn't much that needs to be asked. Although I disagree with most of his votes I find his logic for why he doesn't choose to speak often unassailable.
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Jan '13

scotta

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This is a great man. If he had been appointed by a Democrats president. He would have been the next savior. But he was nominated by a republican president so he is an "Uncle Tom". He doesn't say much so people always wonder what he is actually thinking.
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Jan '13

PNWest

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Clarence Thomas is a minimally qualified SC justice. In all of his years on the court he has done nothing to make himself stand out. He votes with the conservative side and hasn't written many opinions that people have found to be brilliant. It wouldn't matter if he had a liberal voting record. Thomas doesn't stand out on the court. This should not be taken as a dig at him because of all the people that have ever been citizens of the United States only 112 have ever been SC justices. It's still quite an accomplishment to be part of that elite club even if you don't stand out.
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Jan '13

scotta

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@PNWest he doesn't need to stand out. They tried to dig anything up they could. When they could not find facts the made stuff up. You think he is not so great that is fine . I personally feel he is doing a great job.
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@scotta Post
Jan '13

PNWest

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@scotta You are certainly entitled to your opinion. I am curious as to why you think he is doing a great job. Do you just agree with his opinions?
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Jan '13

scotta

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@PNWest no I can honestly say no. I am so tired of hearing him blame everybody else for all the problems. It does not matter if the previous president or the opposing party. It is your watch you are the commander and chief. If things go bad you get blame. If things go good you get the glory.
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@scotta Post
Jan '13

PNWest

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@scotta I was asking about Clarence Thomas.
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Jan '13

WMCOL

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Anyway it is looked at Thomas is a very sickening person.
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Jan '13

harold_lloyd

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Having nothing to say, he doesn't say it.

It's not that people wonder what he's thinking, they wonder if he is thinking.

As far as I can tell, his mind is pretty much already made up on most issues.
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Jan '13

cr8z4amerika

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Are you kidding me?? This is news?? How pathetic!
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Jan '13

Bobolinsky

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"Robert Jerry, dean of the school, introduced Thomas as the 'longest serving and most influential Supreme Court justice.'"
http://www.wuft.org/news/2012/09/21/clarence-...
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Should Clarence Thomas speak more in the Supreme Court?

Should Clarence Thomas speak more in the Supreme Court?