President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee began making the rounds in the Senate yesterday. Second Circuit Judge Sonya Sotomayor met with senators one-on-one from both sides of the aisle attempting to make the case that she’s qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice. Sotomayor met for about 20 minutes with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the new ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee who replaced Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) when he jumped parties.
The media packed the hallway outside of his office as Sessions emerged after the meeting to make comments and take a few questions.
“We talked about her views on the law and other matters that I think relate to how a judge conducts themselves on the bench,” Sessions said. “I committed to her - and as I've said to her when we talked the day she was nominated - that she will get a fair hearing in the Judiciary Committee. She'll be treated respectfully and she will be given an opportunity to answer any allegations that are out there, and that I think it's going to be a good process. I'd like to see people say this is the best hearing we've ever had. And there are, you know, issues and questions. You've seen some of the complaints in the papers, and those things will be raised and she'll be given a chance to talk about that.”
Sessions addressed concerns about Sotomayor’s record of judicial activism.
“We talked about the fact that within the law schools there are doctrines I consider to be unhealthy that suggest that words don't have real meaning, that they can be made to say whatever you want them to say, a sort of a cynical view of law,” Sessions said. “I expressed my view that she - that a judge could - a judge who took that view could erode respect for law in the public's mind. So we discussed the moral authority of law and judges and the need for the American people to feel that those judgments are based on the law and the facts.”
One question dominated every post-meeting media stakeout: Did you talk about the 2001 racial statements made by Sotomayor when she said that a “wise Latina woman” would make better decisions than a white man. The Sessions stakeout was no different.
“We talked about the idea and the concept of personal feelings and - to some degree, you know, how that influences a decision and how it should not,” Sessions said. “It was, you know, a confidential conversation.”
The timing of the hearing is another major contention in this nomination process as Obama has proclaimed he wants the hearings to take place before the August break. Sessions noted that August hearings do not allow for enough time to examine Sotomayor’s extensive record, a great deal of which is not published and has not yet been made available to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Some staffers have estimated it would take at least a month to examine the records once the material has been received by the committee. They do not yet have a timetable for when the materials can be expected.
“I frankly haven't had the opportunity to study her record enough to fairly ask a lot of specific questions,” Sessions said. “There's over 3,000 or 4,000 cases, now, that we think are a part of her 17-year record. They do need to be examined. And they will be examined. And I don't think that it's good to rush this nomination.”
Sessions said he would be speaking with the committee chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) tomorrow on timing. “Senator Reid, the majority leader, and Senator McConnell, our Republican leader, will be involved in some of those discussions,” Sessions said.
Sessions also said he would favor September hearings, noting that Chief Justice John Roberts had September hearings. “We've got until October 5th for the nominee to take office. That's the date that Justice Souter will be departing.”
Boehner Puts Pelosi Back on the Hot Seat
During the last press conference before the Memorial Day recess, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) not only refused to back up accusations she made against the CIA but she stood by her allegations that they have repeatedly lied to Congress. Pelosi’s intelligence briefings resumed today after the week-long Memorial Day recess.
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) held a press conference Tuesday to press for a bipartisan investigation into the allegations made by Pelosi.
“Ten days ago, Speaker Pelosi not only refused to back up her accusations against our intelligence professionals, but she actually stood by her comments that they have repeatedly lied to her and lied to Congress,” Boehner said. “Now, the speaker gets regular briefings from our intelligence professionals today. Does she still believe that they're lying to her?”
“I made this request of the speaker more than two weeks ago: Either offer proof that our intelligence professionals lied to her or she should retract that statement and offer an apology. And to date she's done neither,” Boehner continued. “She's done nothing to address the damage that she's left by her unsupported accusations.”
When asked if he would offer a resolution on the matter, Boehner responded, “All options are on the table.”
McHugh Nominated for Secretary of the Army
Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), the highest ranking Republican in the House Committee on Armed Services, announced yesterday that he is resigning his House seat to accept President Obama’s nomination as Secretary of the Army. McHugh served on the committee for 16 years representing the 23rd District of New York.
“I understand very well the significant responsibility this position bears, and I promise that if I am confirmed by the Senate, I will do everything I possibly can - in concert with Army leadership - to ensure our country has the very best Army it possibly can,” McHugh said of his nomination.
Hill sources tell HUMAN EVENTS to watch for Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) to emerge as the likely candidate to replace McHugh as ranking Republican on the committee.
