A Smudge of Law

[tmcg]

From last week's episode of The West Wing, "Institutional Memory":

Toby: I read the Constitution. I think I found a typo.

CJ: In the Constitution?

Toby: Yeah.

CJ: Did you call the publisher?

Toby: I think it's a typo in the original.

CJ: Constitution?

Toby: Yeah.

CJ: Seems unlikely.

Toby: I read two versions--because I have time--and there's an inconsistent comma.

CJ: No.

Toby: So I looked at every English-language publication that exists. Half of 'em have the comma, half of 'em don't.

CJ: Really?

Toby: Yeah. So I called the National Archives and had some woman look at the original. She said she wasn't sure if it was a comma or a smudge.

CJ: There's a smudge?

Toby: Yeah. A smudge. Of law.

CJ: Does it change the...?

Toby: It changes the meaning of the Takings Clause.

CJ: Seriously? I'm sure it doesn't.

Toby: I called Tom Merrill. He thinks it does.

CJ: Really? Should we--do something?

Toby: I'm gonna write it up. I have a window in the calendar.