Senate Republicans used their opening statements in the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonya Sotomayor to criticize and question her rulings and speeches, white Democrats promoted her as a remarkable woman with whose history as a judge is solidly mainstream.
In a hearing twice interrupted by demonstrators, Republicans would not signal whether they intended to vote for or against Sotomayor, but showed skepticism about Sotomayor’s statements in which she suggested it was appropriate for judges to set policy and to use personal experiences and prejudices to guide their rulings.
“I will not vote for and no senator should vote for an individual nominated by any president who believes it is acceptable for a judge to allow their own personal background, gender, prejudices, or sympathies to sway their decision in favor of, or against, parties before the court,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., the top Republican on the panel.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that must vote on whether to confirm Sotomayor, praised the judge as well qualified, restrained and respectful of judicial precedent.
Leahy said Republicans and other critics have set out to “twist her words and her record and to engage in partisan political attacks.”
One of the most interesting opening statements was made by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who told Sotomayor, “unless you have a complete meltdown, you are going to get confirmed, and I don’t think you will,” have a meltdown.
Graham said Republicans had no problem voting for an Hispanic nominee.”They just feel unnerved by your speeches and some of the things you have said and some of your cases,” he said. “Having said that, I don’t know what I am going to do.”
Sessions said after the morning opening statements that even though Sotomayor’s confirmation is all but certain, Republicans opposition demonstrates that “we need to begin a national dialouge about the critical importance of a judge showing restraint.”
“It’s going to be interesting how we go forward today,” Sessions said. “It’s a question of great importance that a judge be absolutely committed to objectivity and when a judge makes speeches that suggest that is impossible, then a judge is not able to set aside their personal views then there may be facts that a judge is not able to see. That is a fundamental red flag.”
