Senate Should Reject Chameleon Sotomayor      7/28/2009

Washington, D.C. — Today the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court for a full Senate vote. Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) applauds the Senators who have announced they will oppose her nomination.

CWALAC President Wendy Wright said, “The Sonia Sotomayor we saw in the nomination hearings was a stark contrast to the Sonia Sotomayor of the previous 55 years. Senators should not be fooled. The Judge Sotomayor that they will be voting on for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court is the one that existed prior to the hearings and the one that emerged immediately after in her written responses to questions. Her chameleon-like performance at her hearings cannot erase a lifetime record of a judicial philosophy that allows for the re-interpretation of the Constitution according to her ‘wise’ and ‘superior’ personal opinion.

“We are thankful to the Senators who have said they cannot in good conscience support Judge Sotomayor. Senators like Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) have shown great character and a serious commitment to the Constitution in standing up for justice by voting against her nomination.”

Mario Diaz, Esq., CWALAC’s Policy Director for Legal Issues, said, “Before the hearings Judge Sotomayor proudly argued that her background, gender and race did and should play a role in her judicial opinions. During the hearings her judicial philosophy suddenly became ‘fidelity to the law.’ Before the hearings she believed the Court of Appeals is where ‘policy is made.’ During the hearings she believed judges do not make law. Before the hearings she believed a judge does a better job when he looks at international law. During the hearings she emphatically said she would not look at international law in interpreting domestic law. Even in written questions after the hearings she went back on her word again, saying that ‘in limited circumstances’ international law can help us decide ‘our own constitutional rights.’ Judge Sotomayor, simply put, cannot be trusted. Any senator who supports her nomination is essentially gambling with our freedoms.”

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For Information Contact:
Demi Bardsley
(202) 309-5978
media.cwfa.org

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