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Although this blog author could be characterized generally as a fan of Senator Jeff Sessions this is one instance where that favorable impression is tested. Parts of the Sessions’ press release presented below could be judged as an attempt to reassure the public there will be no partisan attack on the SCOTUS nominee Sotomayor as well as encourage Hispanic voters not to vote against POLS who vote against Sotomayor.

At the same time it could be a genuine appeal to remind the public and encourage support of a vigorous vetting of a candidate for such a critical office in our nation’s judicial system.

It is comforting to believe this is a genuine expression of how the process is supposed to work. However, with or without this press release and its sentiment past confirmation hearings demonstrate the difficulty accepting the process as apolitical.

The only amusing thing in this otherwise serious undertaking comes from the fact so many confirmed nominees, including the retiring Justice Souter, have not performed as expected. So how much of this fuss is a waste of time if Sotomayor is ultimately rejected, withdraws or performs not as expected if confirmed?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Sessions: Supreme Court Hearings Will Focus On Proper Role of Judge
and Court In American Legal System

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

MOBILE — U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) made the following comments today regarding President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court:

“The president’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court today is an important step in a constitutional process that includes the advice and consent of the Senate. I congratulate Ms. Sotomayor on her nomination.

“The Senate Judiciary Committee’s role is to act on behalf of the American people to carefully scrutinize Ms. Sotomayor’s qualifications, experience, and record. We will engage in a fair and thorough examination of Ms. Sotomayor’s previous judicial opinions, speeches, and academic writings to determine if she has demonstrated the characteristics that great judges share: integrity, impartiality, legal expertise, and a deep and unwavering respect for the rule of law.

“Of primary importance, we must determine if Ms. Sotomayor understands that the proper role of a judge is to act as a neutral umpire of the law, calling balls and strikes fairly without regard to one’s own personal preferences or political views.

“President Obama has stated his desire to have a full court seated at the start of its next term, a reasonable goal toward which the Judiciary Committee should responsibly and diligently move. But we must remember that a Supreme Court justice sits for a lifetime appointment, and the Senate hearing is the only opportunity for the American people to engage in the nomination process. Adequate preparation will take time. I will insist that, consistent with recent confirmation processes, every senator be accorded the opportunity to prepare, ask questions, and receive full and complete answers.

“I look forward to the coming months as we move forward with this process. As I told the president this morning, I will do all I can to ensure that Ms. Sotomayor receives a fair hearing before the Committee. I firmly believe that the American people deserve a full and thoughtful debate about the proper role of a judge in the American legal system, an issue that will be central to our review of Ms. Sotomayor’s record.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 7:21 pm and is filed under wordpress, Politics, Law, Justice, Supreme Court, Sen Jeff Sessions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.