Attorney Seth Waxman accidentally referred to Justice Clarence Thomas as “Mr. Chief Justice” during oral arguments for a case at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The mistake took place during the hearing for NCAA v. Alston. Waxman is representing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
“Thank you for the promotion,” Thomas could be heard saying on the audio recording provided by CSPAN.
“I’m sorry but I’m sure you would be terrific at that,” Waxman said. “There’s no opening, Mr. Waxman,” Chief Justice John Roberts added, according to the CSPAN audio. (RELATED: Joy Reid Calls Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas ‘Uncle Clarence’ During Election Night Commentary)
During oral arguments in NCAA v. Alston, the NCAA’s lawyer Seth Waxman accidentally calls Justice Thomas “Mr. Chief Justice”:
Justice Thomas: “Thank you for the promotion, by the way.”
Chief Justice Roberts: “There’s no opening, Mr. Waxman.”
pic.twitter.com/rVLxi9VrOp— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 31, 2021
NCAA v. Alston is a court case focused on whether the NCCA amateurism rules violate federal antitrust laws. Previously, the Ninth Circuit held that the NCAA violated federal antitrust laws with its policies on eligibility for student-athletes. The court is expected to announce their decision by the end of June, according to Sports Illustrated.