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Sotomayor committee vote delayed a week by Senate Republicans

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The US Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday delayed a vote on the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor at the request of Senate Republicans. The vote on whether to send the nomination for consideration by the full Senate is now scheduled for June 28. Committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said that he was "disappointed" by the delay, but that he remained confident Sotomayor would be confirmed and seated by the time the Court reconvenes for a special argument session on September 9. Also this week, Sotomayor returned responses to written questions from several Republican senators. Four Republican senators have declared their support for Sotomayor, and she is likely to be supported by all Senate Democrats. Sotomayor faced questions from senators during last week's confirmation hearings. Earlier this month, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary gave Sotomayor a unanimous "well-qualified" rating. In May, Obama praised Sotomayor's experience and wisdom, rebuking Republicans who would oppose her confirmation. Obama warned against partisanship in the confirmation process, saying that he hoped Congress would "avoid the political posturing and ideological brinksmanship" that marked past confirmation hearings. Obama nominated Sotomayor in May to replace retiring Justice David Souter.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on July 21, 2009 (boomark / email).