Sen. Conrad Meets with Judge Sotomayor

Senator Impressed with Judge's Personal and Professional Experience

June 10, 2009 -- Washington – Senator Kent Conrad left his meeting today with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor saying he was impressed with the federal judge’s vast experience and background.

“I had a productive meeting with Judge Sotomayor and learned more about her background and how she would interpret the Constitution,” Senator Conrad said after the one-on-one meeting. “We need justices who will impartially interpret the law and the Constitution and also possess a record of sound judgment.”

Senator Conrad stopped short of endorsing Sotomayor’s nomination, saying he would wait until after her confirmation hearings before deciding whether to vote for her confirmation. The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin Sotomayor's confirmation hearings on July 13.

“Judge Sotomayor is unquestionably qualified from the standpoint of experience, competence, and intellect. I look forward to the Judiciary Committee’s hearings and wish Judge Sotomayor the best of luck,” Senator Conrad said.

Sotomayor grew up in a Bronx housing project after her parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico. After graduating from Princeton University and Yale Law School, Sotomayor served as an assistant district attorney for New York County from 1979 to 1984. After several years in the private sector, Sotomayor joined the federal bench in 1992 after President George H.W. Bush nominated her as a judge to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In 1998, she was promoted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

If confirmed by the Senate, Sotomayor, 54, would replace Justice David Souter, who is retiring. She would become the second woman currently on the nation's highest court.

Source: Senator Kent Conrad