Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor Prepares For Meetings With Key Senators

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 03 Jun 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor is scheduled to meet with key senators today as Republican leaders indicate that they will try to slow her confirmation process over the summer, the Washington Post reports. Sotomayor, in preparation for her meetings, has been working with White House lawyers to complete a 10-page Senate questionnaire, which aims to reveal details of her legal work, professional associations, personal finances, speeches, and legal and other writings. White House officials said the document will be finished "in the next couple of days." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that he will provide Sotomayor's background information to Republicans "as quickly as possible," adding that he "want[s] to make sure she's ready to go" when the next Supreme Court term begins in October. Sotomayor is scheduled to meet today with Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and the panel's ranking member, Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). She also is scheduled to meet with Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), and New York Democrats Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the Post reports.

While Sotomayor prepares for her meetings, Republican leaders indicated that they will try to impede President Obama's push to confirm her before the Senate leaves for summer recess on Aug. 7. McConnell said that the GOP will determine its own schedule regarding Sotomayor's confirmation, adding that although the GOP will "insist that the confirmation process be conducted in a fair and professional manner, ... respectful doesn't mean rushed." Senior Senate aides from both parties said that a deal to expedite the confirmation process is unlikely, despite informal negotiations between Sessions and Leahy (Fletcher/Murray, Washington Post, 6/2). Sessions said it would be his "preference" for a confirmation after the August recess but before October. He added that there are "some things that have been raised that we need to explore" and that Sotomayor "deserves an opportunity to deal with the complaints against her" (Rushing, The Hill, 6/1).

Conservative Groups Push for Filibuster

According to the New York Times "The Caucus," a coalition of conservative groups recently sent a letter to McConnell urging Republicans to filibuster Sotomayor's confirmation. The letter, which was obtained by the Times, is signed by a range of conservative groups, including antiabortion-rights groups, gun-rights advocates, evangelical leaders and others. Manuel Miranda, a former judicial adviser to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), organized the letter. Although Miranda has criticized Democratic filibusters in the past, he said that a Republican filibuster of Sotomayor would help the GOP promote its differences with the Democratic Party on judicial philosophy and the role of the courts. However, Senate Republican leaders thus far have shown little interest in a filibuster, according to the "The Caucus" (Savage, "The Caucus," New York Times, 6/1). The Post reports that the GOP likely does not have enough votes to block Sotomayor's confirmation with a filibuster, but Republicans could be able to slow the process until September. In this case, Sotomayor still would be able to take her place on the bench when the court reconvenes Oct. 1 (Washington Post, 6/2).

The AP/USA Today reports that Republicans are taking a "two-sided strategy" in which they are urging for a respectful debate against Sotomayor while still allowing conservative commentators -- such as Rush Limbaugh and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) -- to criticize her, the AP/USA Today reports. By allowing the political attacks from commentators, Republicans who are facing re-election "can avoid potential backlash if they derail a historic nomination," the AP/USA Today reports (AP/USA Today, 6/1).

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