rjv
07-24-2009, 06:32 PM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Cornyn_to_vote_against_Sotomayor_nomination.html
WASHINGTON — Saying Judge Sonia Sotomayor would apply a “liberal, activist perspective,” Sen. John Cornyn announced Friday that he would vote against her nomination to be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cornyn, R-Texas, joined other conservatives in opposing President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court nominee, and said he would “vote with the certain knowledge that she will be confirmed despite my vote.”
But after three days of hearings and reviewing documents, Cornyn said Sotomayor had failed to explain controversial comments on race and gender, and her views on gun and property rights.
“The stakes are simply too high for me to confirm someone who could address all these issues from a liberal, activist perspective,” Cornyn said in a Senate floor speech.
Cornyn's decision to vote against Sotomayor, who was born to poor Puerto Rican parents in New York, was met with dismay by Democrats and Latino supporters.
“I think it's a sad day for Texas,” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, a former state district judge.
Gonzalez said one aspect of the Sotomayor nomination is the significance to “to millions and millions of Latinos. It's a milestone. It represents a huge accomplishment for our community.”
“I think it would have been encouraging to have our U.S. senator acknowledging this was an incredible day for millions of Texans,” said Gonzalez, who heads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus task force on civil rights and the courts.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which held confirmation hearings on Sotomayor, is expected to move the nomination to the full Senate next week. The Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to approve Sotomayor.
And several Republicans have announced their support, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., and Sen. Olympia Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins, both of Maine.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, voted against Sotomayor's nomination to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in 1998. Hutchison said she is “troubled” by some of Sotomayor's decisions, but the senator has yet to indicate how she will vote.
Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, the dean of the Texas Democratic congressional delegation, said in addition to being the first Hispanic nominee to the Supreme Court, Sotomayor “is one of the most qualified candidates” ever to be nominated.
“The Hispanic people will follow this confirmation very closely,” Ortiz said.
The Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the National Council of La Raza, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — Latino groups both liberal and conservative — endorsed the nomination.
Cornyn, the head of the Senate Republican campaign committee, joins other GOP leaders who have voiced their opposition to Sotomayor, despite her performance in the hearings.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., the ranking GOP member on the committee, have also announced they would vote against the Sotomayor nomination.
Like other GOP senators, Cornyn has walked a fine line of opposing Obama's first Supreme Court nominee, and trying to satisfy his conservative base without alienating Hispanics.
Hispanics represent 36 percent of the 24 million-population in Texas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
More than one-third of Cornyn's constituents in Texas are Hispanic.
“I congratulate her on her historic achievement. I know she will be an inspiration to young people — within the Hispanic community and beyond,” Cornyn said.
But as National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, Cornyn continues to move up the Republican leadership ladder.
Heavy questioning of Sotomayor by Republican lawmakers during the hearing on gun rights prompted the National Rifle Association to oppose the nomination.
Conservative interest groups also opposed her nomination, and are pressuring Republicans to vote against Sotomayor.
During the hearings, Republicans questioned Sotomayor about several speeches in which she asserted “a wise Latina” would make a better decision in some cases than an Anglo man.
Graham noted that if he had said that, “my career would have been over.”
As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Cornyn said he defended Sotomayor when opponents made accusations of racism, “I repudiated them because I believe that all such accusations are unfair, untrue and incompatible with a respectful and dignified consideration of her nomination.”
But he said Sotomayor failed to explain controversial “wise Latina” statements, hid by process arguments and claimed her judicial decisions were guided by precedent, when colleagues on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed.
“Voting to confirm Judge Sotomayor — despite my doubts — would certainly be the politically expedient thing to do. But it would not be the right thing to do,” Cornyn said.
Ortiz said he would not “judge the senator, but he is trying to get votes for the Republicans, that is his job.”
Gonzalez, who attended the confirmation hearings when Cornyn questioned Sotomayor, said he could not “imagine any of her responses to any of his questions would merit a ‘no' vote.”
“I think this is basically a political decision, and that's the reality in Washington,” Gonzalez said.
WASHINGTON — Saying Judge Sonia Sotomayor would apply a “liberal, activist perspective,” Sen. John Cornyn announced Friday that he would vote against her nomination to be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cornyn, R-Texas, joined other conservatives in opposing President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court nominee, and said he would “vote with the certain knowledge that she will be confirmed despite my vote.”
But after three days of hearings and reviewing documents, Cornyn said Sotomayor had failed to explain controversial comments on race and gender, and her views on gun and property rights.
“The stakes are simply too high for me to confirm someone who could address all these issues from a liberal, activist perspective,” Cornyn said in a Senate floor speech.
Cornyn's decision to vote against Sotomayor, who was born to poor Puerto Rican parents in New York, was met with dismay by Democrats and Latino supporters.
“I think it's a sad day for Texas,” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, a former state district judge.
Gonzalez said one aspect of the Sotomayor nomination is the significance to “to millions and millions of Latinos. It's a milestone. It represents a huge accomplishment for our community.”
“I think it would have been encouraging to have our U.S. senator acknowledging this was an incredible day for millions of Texans,” said Gonzalez, who heads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus task force on civil rights and the courts.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which held confirmation hearings on Sotomayor, is expected to move the nomination to the full Senate next week. The Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to approve Sotomayor.
And several Republicans have announced their support, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., and Sen. Olympia Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins, both of Maine.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, voted against Sotomayor's nomination to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in 1998. Hutchison said she is “troubled” by some of Sotomayor's decisions, but the senator has yet to indicate how she will vote.
Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, the dean of the Texas Democratic congressional delegation, said in addition to being the first Hispanic nominee to the Supreme Court, Sotomayor “is one of the most qualified candidates” ever to be nominated.
“The Hispanic people will follow this confirmation very closely,” Ortiz said.
The Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the National Council of La Raza, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — Latino groups both liberal and conservative — endorsed the nomination.
Cornyn, the head of the Senate Republican campaign committee, joins other GOP leaders who have voiced their opposition to Sotomayor, despite her performance in the hearings.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., the ranking GOP member on the committee, have also announced they would vote against the Sotomayor nomination.
Like other GOP senators, Cornyn has walked a fine line of opposing Obama's first Supreme Court nominee, and trying to satisfy his conservative base without alienating Hispanics.
Hispanics represent 36 percent of the 24 million-population in Texas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
More than one-third of Cornyn's constituents in Texas are Hispanic.
“I congratulate her on her historic achievement. I know she will be an inspiration to young people — within the Hispanic community and beyond,” Cornyn said.
But as National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, Cornyn continues to move up the Republican leadership ladder.
Heavy questioning of Sotomayor by Republican lawmakers during the hearing on gun rights prompted the National Rifle Association to oppose the nomination.
Conservative interest groups also opposed her nomination, and are pressuring Republicans to vote against Sotomayor.
During the hearings, Republicans questioned Sotomayor about several speeches in which she asserted “a wise Latina” would make a better decision in some cases than an Anglo man.
Graham noted that if he had said that, “my career would have been over.”
As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Cornyn said he defended Sotomayor when opponents made accusations of racism, “I repudiated them because I believe that all such accusations are unfair, untrue and incompatible with a respectful and dignified consideration of her nomination.”
But he said Sotomayor failed to explain controversial “wise Latina” statements, hid by process arguments and claimed her judicial decisions were guided by precedent, when colleagues on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed.
“Voting to confirm Judge Sotomayor — despite my doubts — would certainly be the politically expedient thing to do. But it would not be the right thing to do,” Cornyn said.
Ortiz said he would not “judge the senator, but he is trying to get votes for the Republicans, that is his job.”
Gonzalez, who attended the confirmation hearings when Cornyn questioned Sotomayor, said he could not “imagine any of her responses to any of his questions would merit a ‘no' vote.”
“I think this is basically a political decision, and that's the reality in Washington,” Gonzalez said.