Learn about the confirmation of a  Justice for the Supreme Court, process, and more about Judge Sonia Sotomayor; and watch it   :)

 

Learn more about Judge Sonia Sotomayor   :)

http://www.civilrights.org/judiciary/supreme-court-nominees/sotomayor/

 

 

More information about watching the hearings

http://www.civilrights.org/action_center/watch-the-judge-sotomayor.html

 

 

The hearings will be broadcast live on C-SPAN and PBS. You can also watch live streaming video of the hearings online at PBS.org/newshour

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/

 

 

The Attacks on Sotomayor Begin   :)

Yesterday, conservatives began their attack on Judge Sotomayor. It didn't take long for outside special interest groups to pile on. Judge Sotomayor was well prepared and spoke as the Supreme Court nominee with the most federal and judicial experience in the last 100 years.

Republican Senators continued to turn away from her qualifications, and instead focus on her life experience suggesting that somehow empathy and diversity equates to prejudice. Most disconcerting, was their outrageous suggestion that Judge Sotomayor’s appreciation of her heritage and life experience may somehow stymie her ability to adhere to and enforce the law as a Supreme Court Justice.

Make no mistake though. The same life experience that President Obama praised was being attacked and this time it was "The Berkeley La Raza Law Journal" who was the target for a lecture it published in 2001.

Please note the first round of questions is expected to be completed by late morning or early afternoon, at which time the committee will move into closed session. It is routine for the committee to hold a closed session with Supreme Court nominees. Following a lunch break, the committee will resume open session, and will begin the second round of questions. Questions in the second round are expected to be 20 minutes in length.

This was the Day to Watch by Terry Maroney, Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University Law School

Yesterday each side set out the broad themes and primary points of contention, and Judge Sonia Sotomayor made some initial remarks. While revealing, Day One is not where fates rise or fall. Today we moved on to substantive questioning and debate, within which the Judge was able to speak more freely and at length, explaining both particular decisions and her judicial philosophy. Well, Day Two is over, and Sotomayor has not had a “complete meltdown.” According to the Day-One prediction of Senator Lindsey Graham, then, she certainly will be confirmed. This is as it should be: her judicial and academic credentials are unimpeachable.

Right Wing and Conservative Attacks




So far the only reports have come from inside the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, from the Senators, and Judge Sotomayor's on record remarks. Outside (and inside) interest groups have become more vocal and the attacks on Sotomayor more pointed.

Yesterday the Committee for Justice launched a "Stop Sonia Sotomayor" campaign and they had the audacity to compare Judge Sotomayor to Bill Ayers and even go as far as saying she supported violent terrorists.

Watch the Committee for Justice Ad





The Republican National Committee launched its own campaign "This is Where Policy is Made" and tries to label Judge Sotomayor as an "Activist Judge" who would legislate from the bench.

Watch the Republican National Committee Ad



Myths and falsehoods Surrounding the Sotomayor Nomination

MYTH: The Supreme Court decided Ricci "9-0" against Sotomayor

Following the Supreme Court's decision in Ricci v. DeStefano -- which reversed by a 5-4 margin a decision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- several conservative media figures have claimed that the Supreme Court decided "against" Sotomayor "9-0." In fact, while Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in her dissent that "[o]rdinarily, a remand for fresh consideration would be in order" and that "I would not oppose a remand for further proceedings fair to both sides," she concluded, "[W]hat this case does not present is race-based discrimination in violation of Title VII." That conclusion is consistent with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision Sotomayor joined.

MYTH: Supreme Court reversal of Ricci an "extraordinary rebuke" for Sotomayor

In a May 27 editorial, The Washington Times stated that if the Supreme Court were to reverse the 2nd Circuit decision in Ricci -- which the High Court subsequently did by a 5-4 margin -- "It would be an extraordinary rebuke were a current nominee to be overruled on such a controversial case by the very justices she is slated to join." But it is a myth that the Ricci reversal represents an "extraordinary rebuke" for Sotomayor. Indeed, the Supreme Court reversed at least four decisions by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court in which Samuel Alito either wrote or joined the majority opinion, and Alito also received a "rebuke" by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, whom he replaced, regarding his dissent in the abortion-rights case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Read more about the myths and falsehoods surrounding the Sotomayor nomination


News Clips

Nominee Says Identity Wouldn’t Distort Decisions
New York Times

Sotomayor Leaves Passion Behind in Her Testimony
New York Times

Sotomayor Warms the Hearing Room With a Confident Touch
Washington Post

Sotomayor Points Sen. Sessions to Another Case
Wall Street Journal

Sincerely,

Henry Solano
Interim President and General Counsel
MALDEF

P.S. Be sure to tell your friends and family about our efforts around Judge Sotomayor. We need everyone involved!

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