Crime | Clarence Thomas Justice Thomas Speaks for 1st Time Since 2006 He appeared to have been making a joke By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Jan 14, 2013 3:00 PM CST Copied Seated from left are Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, and Antonin Scalia, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justices Anthony M. Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) Justice Clarence Thomas did something at a Supreme Court argument today for the first time in nearly seven years—he spoke. But what Thomas said is not clear; he appears to have joked about Ivy League lawyers. The argument transcript only records four words. It quotes Thomas as saying, "Well, he did not..." Several justices laughed in response. Louisiana lawyer Carla Sigler replied: "I would refute that, Justice Thomas." Two lawyers in the courtroom said Thomas was joking about Ivy League law school graduates, although one said it was at the expense of Thomas' alma mater, Yale, and the other said rival Harvard was the butt of the joke. The Wall Street Journal reports that witnesses heard him say something along the lines of, "Well, he did not have competent counsel, then." Thomas hasn't asked a question in court since February 22, 2006. Read These Next New Fox star, 23, misses first day after car troubles. Man accused of killing his daughters might be dead. White House rolls with Trump's 'daddy' nickname. Iran's supreme leader makes first public comments since ceasefire. Report an error