by Mark Silva
Sen. Patrick Leahy, now chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, once warned that Latino candidates for the federal courts were being held up by a Republican-run Senate.
In particular: Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a federal judge first appointed to the District Court for Southern New York by former President George H.W. Bush in 1991 whom President Bill Clinton was elevating to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 1998.
"How disturbing, how petty and how shameful,'' Leahy said of an anonymous hold that had been placed on Sotomayor's confirmation in '98 -- with thanks to C-SPAN for this clip from the video archives.
"Judge Sonia Sotomayor is just such a qualified nominee, and she is one being held up by the Republican majority'' Leahy said back then, "apparently because some on the other side of the aisle believe she might one day be considered by President Clinton for nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, should a vacancy arise.''
As it turns out, it wasn't Clinton who advanced Sotomayor to the highest court, but the next Democratic president down the line, Barack Obama. And Leahy, the Vermont Democrat who chairs the Senate committee that will consider her confirmation, will be having a lot more to say about the nominee in the weeks ahead.
Comments
In the coming weeks, expect to hear the words "liberal activist" on a daily basis, along with concerns about Sotomayor's "temperament", and of course a barrage of criticism about having "empathy" coming from the Right-Wing lunatic fringe.
Oh, no! Empathy! Do Republicans even know what that word means? Do they realize how bad it makes them look to try to demonize someone for having empathy? Of course not -- they don't stop to think about niceties like that.
And "liberal activist" = any judge that does not rule 100% the way the knuckle-dragging Republican base wants them too.
I love it that somebody who grew up poor in public housing will be challenging the Robertses and Alitos on the court. Good on Obama.
Posted by: Hulk SMASH! | May 26, 2009 3:38 PM
Here is an interesting story about a latino that was nominated for the appealette court and look who held his nomination up for 500 days. This Senator wouldn't even give this indivdual an hearing. Who would this senator be?
None other than Leaky Leahy himself.
http://www.caglepost.com/column/Linda+Chavez/2917/Who+is+Miguel+Estrada.html
The reason being is that the libs were worried that Miguel Estrada would spend a few years on the DC court of appeals and then be nominated by President Bush for the Supreme Court. The libs couldn't let the GOP beat them to nominating the first hispanic to the Supreme Court. It would ruin the mirage that only the dems can care about minorities.
Posted by: Terry | May 26, 2009 4:52 PM