by David G. Savage
Sonia Sotomayor became the 111th Supreme Court justice in the nation's history today, taking an oath to "administer justice without respect to persons and do equal right to the poor and to the rich."
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administered the oath in a ceremonial conference room at the Supreme Court before a small gathering of Sotomayor's family and friends, and a handful of White House aides who had worked on her confirmation.
Roberts said the special swearing-in was arranged for a quiet Saturday morning so that Sotomayor could "begin her work as an associate justice without delay."
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy was the only other member of the court in attendance.
The new justice hugged her mother, Celina, who held the Bible for her, and then her brother, Juan Sotomayor, who stood with her. Sotomayor became the first Hispanic member of the nation's highest court and only the third woman to serve.
Sotomayor actually took two oaths, both required of federal judges.
She first took the constitutional oath, which is required of all federal officers. She pledged to "support and defend the Constitution" and to "well and faithfully discharge the duties" of her office.
This oath was given in a private ceremony in the justices' conference room. Only the chief justice, Justice Kennedy and Sotomayor's immediate family members were present.
The judicial oath was taken before the larger gathering in the East Conference Room, and, for the first time, television cameras were there to broadcast it.
White House counsel Greg Craig and assistant counsel Cynthia Hogan witnessed the swearing-in, along with Judge Robert Katzmann of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and Rep. Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.).
The judicial oath is familiar to Sotomayor.
She took the same oath twice before as a federal district judge in 1992 and a U.S. court of appeals judge in 1998. And in her Senate hearings, several of her Republican critics recited passages of the oath which call for doing "justice without respect to persons." They suggested that she, like President Obama, might feel "empathy" for certain persons and might rule in their favor on that basis.
Sotomayor replied that she had always been guided by the law, not by personal sympathies.
In the past, some justices have taken the oaths at the White House, rather than at the court. Roberts took both oaths at the White House from senior Justice John Paul Stevens on Sept. 29, 2005.
Later, Stevens was quoted as saying that he thought it was inappropriate for justices to take the oaths at the White House standing before the president, because it suggested the justices were linked to the president, rather than independent.
Sotomayor is not done with ceremonial welcomes, however. She is due to be introduced at White House reception on Wednesday, and the Supreme Court will hold a formal investiture ceremony for her on Sep. 8.
Comments
Thank you Obama, this will be an appointment that will #1 come to haunt you #2 haunt the rest of us for a long time.
Posted by: theidahokid | August 8, 2009 2:22 PM
Lord, help us all!
Posted by: Paul | August 8, 2009 2:37 PM
Only a complete idiot would believe the swearing in was done on a Saturday so she could quickly begin work.
If you swear her in on a Saturday, with no advance notice to the media, there won't be any embarrassing questions about her racist views, or her activist leanings.
The judges in our courts act more and more like a secret society. I had expected something else from the Supreme Court, but I should know better.
Posted by: RegularGuy | August 8, 2009 2:52 PM
To the naysayers on here- were things that terrible with Justice David Souter on the High Court? Justice Sotomayor will most likely vote along the same lines as did Souter, possibly even more conservatively. Or are you complaining about the fact that your lily-white 1950's fantasy of the melting pot which is the true America is getting bitch slipped with a hard dose of reality?
Posted by: postobjectivist | August 8, 2009 5:04 PM
Forget about Justice Sotomayor herself for a moment - her mother is the one who truly deserves the accolades, given all that she faced and what her 2 children have achieved. She proved that not speaking good English, lack of money, being a single parent, having to work multiple jobs, living in the projects; all that and more can be overcome if you want it enough.
She bought into the American Dream, work tirelessly to earn it, and today she saw her adopted country deliver on its promise in a big way. Whatever someone's feelings about her daughter, I think you would need to have a heart of stone not to feel moved by what Celina Sotomayor must have felt today.
Posted by: billp | August 8, 2009 5:07 PM
Time will tell, Lets hope Obama hasn't created monster.
Posted by: Inky | August 8, 2009 5:12 PM
A welcome addition. Go Sonia. I'd guess you're the one with racist views, 'regular guy,' no doubt a wise gringo.
Posted by: gladys | August 8, 2009 6:05 PM
Justice Sotomayor is the second Hispanic or Latino US Supreme Court Justice, not the first. The first was Justice Cardozo, a Portuguese-American, who was appointed by Herbert Hoover in 1932. Sotomayor is the first Latina Supreme Court Justice.
Posted by: Roger | August 8, 2009 7:19 PM
Thanks to those who voted to have all of America represented. I don't understand those who think it is only fat, white, old guys who know anything. Aren't they the professors who are teaching the multi-color nation we have become? Does it not make sense then in the natural order of things for all parts of the nation to become multi-combined? United we stand, divided we fall. I am fearful that we will end up eating each other, the very thing our enemies want us to do. Fight against those who wish us harm, not each other.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | August 8, 2009 8:11 PM
Felicidades Sonia. You are an inspiration to all Puertorricans living in the Island Colony. At least you are living the American Dream. Down here we wish we could do the same. Enjoy the the best liberty of the world. In the meanwhile, down in the Island we miss all those dreams, that some of you despise. Congratulations. Before retiring, take a look about the biggest minority of all, those like your Mom & Dad still here in the Colony. Again, Felicidades, Enjoy The American Dream.
Posted by: Humberto Hernandez | August 8, 2009 8:22 PM
Centi anni, Sonia.
Posted by: ornery | August 8, 2009 9:39 PM
Wrong, Roger. Portuguese aren't hispanic. But really, who cares? Or are you jeff in disguise?
Posted by: gladys | August 8, 2009 10:18 PM
The problem with the SC isn't that it's too liberal.
The problem is it's too conservative.
Posted by: C.Morrisā§ | August 8, 2009 11:52 PM
Gladys:
i have decided people like Roger are a lost cause, They believe everything the Republican pundits and partyline tell them and only read what confirms that. Then they repeat it at regular intervals. The truth is a lie to them.
Posted by: lochnesssmonster | August 9, 2009 6:59 AM
Its not about race or gender it is about 60% of rulings being over turned as a lower court judge. Thats not what we need on this country's highest court and I truly hope that she is not the best the hispanic community has to offer. Watching the praise from the hispanic community on the news I can only assume Sotomayor is the best of the best from the hispanic community. How truly sad that all of America will eventually pay for this mistake.
Posted by: Enough already | August 9, 2009 7:17 AM
I am so sick of hearing about Sonia's "fascinating" upbringing. Big deal. There are millions of people brought up with single mothers and most in homes with many more obstacles and difficulties than Sonia. Her mother was an RN. How was her "poor" mother able to pay for her education. As an RN myself, I know how hard it was to pay for my education but I did it without affirmative action. I am sure she was very well paid no matter how many shifts she had to work.
I think that Sonia is going to be in over her head as she is not the brightest bulb in the bunch.
Posted by: MariaK | August 9, 2009 11:22 AM
Notice on the handshake by Roberts that he couldn't manage an "American handshake?"
One hopes Sotomayor's appointment proves a Roman Catholic can be a true American.
Posted by: Will Jones - Atlanta | August 9, 2009 11:28 AM
Just another way Democrats are trying to keep down the rich, white men of this country. Haven't they suffered enough?
Posted by: Paul | August 10, 2009 1:27 PM
Benjamin Cardozo was a Portuguese Jew(very rare by the way). Cardozo is a Portuguese name. How he is even considered of being Hispanic, is beyond me. Portugal and Spain are two totally different countries in every aspect. All these two countries have in common are that of being neighbors. France also neighbors Spain and i doubt people are confusing the French of being Hispanics. Such ignorance! I am Portuguese/American, and would be furious if someone confused me with being Hispanic.
Posted by: Paul | September 14, 2009 3:00 PM