CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
July 17, 2009 – 11:13 a.m.
McConnell Will Oppose Sotomayor; Some GOP Moderates Say They Will Vote To Confirm
By Seth Stern, CQ Staff
The Senate’s top Republican announced Friday he intends to oppose Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court even as the first members of his caucus came out in support.
“Judge Sotomayor’s record of written statements suggest an alarming lack of respect for the notion of equal justice, and therefore, in my view, an insufficient willingness to abide by the judicial oath,” said Mitch McConnell , R-Ky., in an excerpt of a floor speech he intends to deliver July 20 that was released Friday.
A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment on the possibility of a filibuster but two Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and John Cornyn of Texas have already said they would not support such an effort.
And endorsements of Sotomayor issued Friday by three Republicans would all but ensure such an attempt would fail.
“Judge Sotomayor is clearly qualified to serve on the Supreme Court and she has demonstrated a judicial temperament during her week-long nomination hearing,” Richard G. Lugar , R-Ind., said in a statement. “Judge Sotomayor has had a distinguished career of public service. She is well regarded in the legal community and by her peers. I will vote to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.”
Olympia J. Snowe , R-Maine, released a statement saying, “Barring any unforeseen developments, I expect to join the majority of my Senate colleagues in confirming Judge Sotomayor to a seat on the highest Court in the land before the August recess.”
Mel Martinez , R-Fla., said, “Judge Sotomayor’s rise to the Supreme Court is testimony to the fact that the American dream continues to be attainable. As an Hispanic American, I take great pride in Judge Sotomayor’s historic achievement.”
One former member of their caucus, Arlen Specter , D-Pa., also announced he intends to vote for Sotomayor.
Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy , D-Vt., announced a committee vote on Sotomayor’s nomination is scheduled for July 21. But Republicans have said that is too soon and will likely exercise their right to postpone the vote for a week, unless the two sides agree to a date in between.
Comments
McConnell is so blinded by his partisanship that he doesn't even recognize a moderate judge when he sees one.
Who thought that bigot would do anything different? Anything that President Obama does he will automatically vote against it. A racist he is and a racist he will be until he dies. Nobody is surprise.
There is a big difference between being prejudice and being a racist. We are all prejudice in some way. But Sotomeyer is a racist. Sotomeyer is not qualified period. Sotomeyer's experiences as a Latina are irrelevant. That of course, matters little to the Socialists in power. Like the health plan the Socialists want to cram it down (maybe up) without thought or debate. "Ready, Fire, Aim." Typically lacking that sense of cause and effect.
jacques bakke is talking nonsense: Justice Sotomayor is the best qualified new Supreme Court justice for years - far better qualified than Clarence Thomas, for example. Meanwhile he can't even been bothered to spell her name correctly. And she's no racist. She made a couple ill-judged comments, but there is no evidence that her decisions have been racist. As for healthcare reform, no doubt conservatives want to ignore the 48 million uninsured. I'm OK, so who cares? We had that attitude for eight years. No more.
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