Judiciary Committee

June 8, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen made the following statement today after meeting with Judge Sonia Sotomayor:

"In my meeting today with Judge Sonia Sotomayor, she told me that coming from New York, working as a prosecutor and later as a federal judge, you've got to be tough. And she showed that toughness today by keeping our meeting despite fracturing her foot this morning.

"Throughout the meeting, I was greatly impressed with Judge Sotomayor. I already knew that she was intelligent and independent. I now know that she is also warm and engaging, and I found her to be very down to earth.    » read more »

Schumer Unveils New Analysis Showing Sotomayor's Moderate Record On Immigration Cases; Review Of Close To 850 Cases Shows She Ruled Against Asylum Claims 83 Percent Of Time

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), the chairman of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, released a new analysis Tuesday of Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s judicial record on immigration-related cases, showing she ruled against asylum claims 83 percent of the time, a rate that places President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee squarely in the judicial mainstream.

Schumer said the figures, which had not previously been compiled, undercut attempts by Sotomayor’s critics to paint her as a judge whose decision-making is influenced by factors other than the rule of law.    » read more »

Nelson Statement On Meeting With Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Nominee To The U.S. Supreme Court

June 9, 2009 – Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson released the following statement after meeting today with Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s nominee to replace Associate Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court:

“I was pleased to meet with Judge Sotomayor today and I am impressed with what I have learned so far about her life, career and views. We had a very good discussion about the role of the different branches of government, her history on the bench and previous cases, and her judicial philosophy.    » read more »

Withholds decision on Sotomayor until after confirmation hearing

June 9, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today met with United States Supreme Court Associate Justice nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

After the meeting, the senator made the following comments.

Senator Martinez said:

"She is not only a delightful person, but also a very deep thinker about judicial issues. As a longtime lawyer, I enjoyed the conversation about issues of jurisprudence, the role of the judiciary, and the role of a judge.

"She is very bright and very much someone who would fit in very well at the Supreme Court.    » read more »

WASHINGTON -- June 9, 2009 – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday announced that hearings to consider the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court will begin on July 13.    » read more »

Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee Holds Hearing To Examine ‘Prolonged Detention’

WASHINGTON -- June 9, 2009 – A Senate Judiciary Committee panel Tuesday morning will consider the consequences of ‘prolonged detention’ of detainees held in U.S. custody. The Subcommittee on the Constitution, chaired by Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), will hear testimony from a panel of six witnesses. Member statements, witness testimony, and a live webcast of the hearing are available online.

Full Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following statement at the hearing.

Statement Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),

Chairman, Committee On The Judiciary,

Hearing On “The Legal, Moral, and National Security    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- Following his meeting today in the U.S. Capitol with U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement:

“After meeting with Judge Sotomayor today, I was extremely impressed by her knowledge of the law and her personal warmth. I was also impressed by her honesty in answering questions and her understanding of the role of the judiciary at all levels of our federal system in ensuring the promise of ‘equal justice under law.’

I am strongly inclined to support her nomination, assuming the satisfactory completion of the confirmation process, which is designed to provide information and insight into the nominee’s academic background, judicial temperament and knowledge of the law.    » read more »

06/08/2009 -- WASHINGTON -- United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today met with President Obama's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor. If confirmed, Sotomayor will become the third woman to serve on the nation's highest court and the first Hispanic Justice.

Sen. Landrieu said:

"It was a pleasure meeting Judge Sonia Sotomayor today. In addition to having an impressive professional resume, her personal journey from the Bronx projects to the federal bench is truly extraordinary. Judge Sotomayor is a historic choice who will bring a wealth of experience and added diversity to the nation's highest court. I have confidence in her fair-mindedness, and I intend to support her Senate confirmation. "    » read more »

WASHINGTON June 4, 2009 – The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday reported the first judicial nominations of the 111th Congress. Judge David Hamilton is a nominee to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and Judge Andre Davis is a nominee to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

The Committee also reported one executive nomination to the Senate for consideration. Thomas Perez is nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. All three nominees appeared before the Judiciary Committee at a hearing on April 21, 2009.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- "I was delighted to have the chance to see Judge Sotomayor, again. I have come to know her fairly well during her years of service on the Second Circuit, the Circuit covering Vermont, New York and Connecticut.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- Attached, please find a letter that was sent this morning to Senators Reid, McConnell, Leahy, and Sessions from law clerks of Judge Sonia Sotomayor expressing their full support for her elevation to the Supreme Court.

June 1, 2009

The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
522 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Minority Leader
United States Senate
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
Chairman
Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
433 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Jeff Sessions
Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
335 Russell Senate Office Building    » read more »

May 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama called for a rigorous, principled and swift confirmation for his Supreme Court nominee, Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Judge Sotomayor’s extraordinary professional career, as a New York City prosecutor, a litigator, and as a judge for 17 years, is matched only by her remarkable life story, from growing up in a housing project to graduating from Princeton University and Yale Law School.

With the depth of her experience, she will be a prudent Justice who respects and adheres to the Constitution and the law.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Washington D.C.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- Washington, D.C – US Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court:

“By selecting Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, President Obama fulfilled his promise not only to consult with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, but to ultimately appoint an individual with a ‘sharp and independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity.’ This is a historic appointment, and I believe that many will find inspiration in Judge Sotomayor’s remarkable personal story and realization of the America dream.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) Wednesday released the bipartisan questionnaire the Senate Judiciary Committee has asked Judge Sonia Sotomayor to complete in connection with her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Once the questionnaire is completed and returned to the Committee, copies will be made available online and in print.

A PDF of the questionnaire is available online.

UNITED STATES SENATE

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR JUDICIAL NOMINEES

PUBLIC

1. Name: State full name (include any former names used).

2. Position: State the position for which you have been nominated.    » read more »

May 28,2009 -- SEATTLE, WA – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today praised President Barack Obama’s nomination of U.S. Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States and urged the U.S. Senate provide a fair and bipartisan confirmation process.

“With this nomination, President Obama has demonstrated the breadth and depth of our judicial bench,” said Cantwell. “I am especially pleased the President has chosen a woman for the high court and, in a historic first, a person of Hispanic background. The court will benefit from diversity and from the common touch that Justice Souter brought to his tenure.”    » read more »