Senate Minority Leader McConnell Says He Will Oppose Sotomayor As Other Republicans Back Nominee

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 21 Jul 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday announced that he will oppose Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, even as increased Republican support seemed to ensure that she would be confirmed, the New York Times reports. McConnell said that he would not support Sotomayor's nomination because her "record of written statements suggests an alarming lack of respect for the notion of equal justice, and, therefore, in my view, an insufficient willingness to abide by the judicial oath." McConnell intends to deliver the remarks to the Senate on Monday.

Meanwhile, Republican Sens. Richard Lugar (Ind.), Mel Martinez (Fla.) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) said that they would support Sotomayor. The Times reports that the senators' backing of Sotomayor -- combined with her "solid Democratic support" -- shows that she should receive "strong confirmation approval" (Hulse, New York Times, 7/18).

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) would not predict how many Republicans could vote for her confirmation. Sessions said that Republicans are seeking a committee vote on Sotomayor on July 28, one week later than the date sought by committee Democrats. During that week, Republicans hope to review her record, her answers from her confirmation hearings and other responses to questions (AP/Boston Globe, 7/20).

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