Senate Confirms Sonia Sotomayor as Supreme Court Justice
 |
|
What a historic day for the country—Sonia Sotomayor is now a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Just minutes ago, the U.S. Senate voted by 68-31 to confirm one of the nation’s most well-qualified and highly experienced jurists.
Yet I do find it hard to believe that 31 Republican senators voted no. Were they blinded by partisanship or was it a fear of a backlash from the extreme right—a backlash that would be as unpleasant as their attacks on the first Latina nominated, and now confirmed, to the Supreme Court?
Of course, I take pride and satisfaction in seeing a member of a minority group and a woman earn—and I emphasize earn—such a high achievement. Just look at Judge Sotomayor’s long and distinguished legal career and record.
She has worked at almost every level of our judicial system and brings more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice in 100 years.
Sotomayor: ‘Rule of Law Basis for All Our Basic Rights’
Sonia Sotomayor grew up in a South Bronx, N.Y., housing project after her parents moved there from Puerto Rico during World War II. Today, she is a U.S. Senate confirmation vote away from taking a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.
President Obama today nominated the U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the 2nd Circuit to the High Court where, if confirmed, she would be the first Hispanic to serve. Says Obama:
What Sonia will bring to the court…is not only the knowledge and experience acquired over a course of a brilliant legal career, but the wisdom accumulated from an inspiring life’s journey.
Obama Taps Sotomayor for Supreme Court Seat
U.S. appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor was nominated this morning by President Obama to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She would be the first Hispanic to serve on the high court.
She was first nominated to the federal bench in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush and was unopposed when the Senate confirmed her as a U.S. District Court judge. In 1997, President Bill Clinton tapped her to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. Most Senate Republicans opposed her nomination, and it took more than a year before she was confirmed by a 67-29 vote.
