Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) joined representatives of various civil rights organization in a press conference Wednesday to discuss the historic nomination and upcoming Senate vote of Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
Civil rights organizations voiced their support of Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor just one day after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-6 to confirm her nomination.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) joined representatives of various organizations in a press conference Wednesday to discuss the historic nomination and upcoming Senate vote.
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights President Wade Henderson said, “Her elevation to the Supreme Court would mark another advance on the road to equal opportunity that this nation has traveled from its founding; but, even more importantly, it would give Americans a Justice they can be confident will uphold their constitutional values, the rule of law and the principle of equal justice for all.”
Lillian Rodriguez Lopez of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda spoke about Sotomayor from both a professional and a personal perspective. Lopez fought back tears as she explained that while she, too, is a Hispanic woman from New York, she could only “pray to possess” the qualities and skills that Sotomayor possesses.
“I hope that next week that the members of the entire Senate will send a message of resounding support for Judge Sotomayor to the American people, to the Hispanic American people, when they vote for her confirmation,” said Lopez.
Reid said he is currently trying to cut a deal with Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) regarding the floor debate, but isn’t certain on how long the debate may last. He dismissed Republicans’ concerns over Sotomayor, asking rhetorically, “How many times do we have to listen to the same speeches on the same brief statements she made, on the same case that she talked about?”
Reid added that the Senate will be working long hours to ensure that the confirmation vote is one of the last things they do before they leave for the August recess.
In a vote that surprised no one, Judge Sotomayor was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, largely along party lines. All 12 Democrats on the committee voted to confirm, joined by Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC). The remaining 6 Republican senators voted against confirmation, leaving Sotomayor with a 13-6 vote.
Republican senators, led by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Ranking Member of the committee, continued to criticize Sotomayor for her decisions in cases concerning race discrimination, gun rights, and property rights, as well as her speeches in which she discussed the role ethnicity and background play in judicial decision making. Senator Graham, explaining why he was voting for her, nevertheless expressed concern that she had made statements about judicial decision making while she was a judge.
Senator Coburn (R-Okla.) said he believed Sotomayor was speaking from the heart in her speeches, but he said he was voting against her not for the content of those speeches but because she did not defend her statements when challenged in the hearings. If she believed, as Coburn thought judges should believe, that her rulings would be objective and unaffected by her personal beliefs, she should not have hesitated to stand behind her statements.
Democrats for the most part praised Sotomayor’s record as a prosecutor and a judge, repeating that her judicial experience exceeds that of any other nominee in the last 100 years. They also said that her record showed that she was a fair and impartial judge. Finally, they repeated her personal story and spoke of her as an inspiration to women and minorities wanting to pursue a career in the law.
Chairman Leahy could not say when Sotomayor’s confirmation would come before the full Senate, but he said it would have to be before the Senate leaves for the August recess, since the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an early session of oral arguments on September 9. The Senate will have several days of debate on Sotomayor, though we are unlikely to hear any new arguments before the vote.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor could inspire young women, particularly young latinas, to enter a career in law. The Senator goes on to say that America changed for the better following her selection. (0:22)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says he’s voting to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the next Supreme Court Justice despite the fact that she is not someone he would have chosen. He says his decision became easier for him as the hearings went on. Graham says he is basing his vote on Sotomayor’s qualifications and that he came away from the hearings believing she is well suited for the position. (0:40)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that his reason for voting “yes” for Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor was not based on what he described as President Obama’s view that the “heart” of a judge could potentially determine the outcome of a controversial case. Rather, Graham said we should value judges based on their ability to stick to the rule of law. (1:29)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) referenced the filibustering that occurred during the confirmations of Supreme Court Justices Scalia and Ginsburg, stating that this political tactic gets in the way of choosing the right person for the job. (0:28)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-N.C.) advises his colleagues in the Senate to look at Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s record as a judge, not at her personal opinions. (0:12)
Annie Berman – Talk Radio News Service
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced today that he would vote in favor of Supreme Court Nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a decision that goes against many of his Republican colleagues.
“While I’m not bound to vote for Judge Sotomayor, it would be the path to least political resistance for me…We’re talking about one of the most qualified nominees to be selected for the Supreme Court in decades. She has 17 years of judicial experience, 12 of those years she was on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. I’ve looked at her record closely. I believe that she follows precedent,” said Graham.
Graham also addressed the controversial speeches, particularly the now famous “wise Latina” comments, that many of Sotomayor’s opposers continue to use as a reason to vote against her. Those who oppose Sotomayor claim that those comments indicate that she is a racist and that she will be an “activist” judge who bases her decisions on her feelings rather than the law.
“To my colleagues who vote ‘no’, I understand your concerns and there are things about this nominee that are troubling. The speeches. The speeches that she has given in the past are troubling because I think they embrace identity politics. Something I don’t embrace. The ‘wise Latina’ comment…we had a long discussion about how that does not sit well with most Americans and that is not what we want to be expressed by people trying to become Supreme Court nominees.”
Graham also took the time to say that though he may strongly disagree with a decision she has made here and there, it doesn’t matter to him, just as long as Sotomayor is qualified for the position.
“The advocacy role of a lawyer is unique. I have represented people who I disagree with. I have represented people who were accused of child molesting. I have been a criminal defense lawyer. There’s nothing more noble in our system in making the government prove their case regardless of how you feel about the defendant,” said Graham.
“I didn’t choose her, but I understand why President Obama did choose her and I am happy to vote for her,” said Graham.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)says he’s disappointed that the Republicans have decided to postpone the Sotomayor confirmation vote but he says they have that right.
