Some quotes from witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court:
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“In the district attorney’s office, the Judge was immediately recognized ... as someone a step ahead of her colleagues, one of the brightest and most mature, hardworking, standout who was marked for rapid advancement. Ultimately, she took on every kind of criminal case that comes into an urban courthouse, from turnstile-jumping to homicide.” — New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.
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“The lieutenant’s test that I took was without a doubt a job-related exam that was based on skills, knowledge and abilities needed to ensure public and the firefighters’ safety. We all had an equal opportunity to succeed as individuals, and we were all provided a road map to prepare for the exam. Achievement is neither limited nor determined by one’s race but by one’s skills, dedication, commitment and character. Ours is not a job that can be handed out without regard to merit and qualifications.” — Frank Ricci, New Haven Fire Department.
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“First she is someone with a sharp and agile mind, as her distinguished record and her testimony, I think, made clear. And as a former prosecutor, commercial litigator, district court judge and appellate judge, she certainly brings a wealth of unique experience. Second, she is an independent jurist who does not fit squarely into an ideological box. ... And, third, whether you agree or disagree with her on particular cases, she has a record of sound reasoning.” — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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“We talked to over 500 lawyers. And not to minimize any comments ... but of the 500 lawyers that we spoke to, we received comment on the temperament issue from less than 10 lawyers. They were mostly lawyers and judges who were outside of the 2nd Circuit and were not as familiar with 2nd Circuit precedent.” — Kim Askew, chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary.
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“I’m here to rebut any assertion that her participation in the matter of Ricci v. DeStefano in any way reflects upon her qualifications or abilities to serve as a justice of the United States Supreme Court. ... I understand the frustration that the firefighters felt with this process. I also understand the city’s fear of litigation and unfair results. I am for a process that is fair. No one should be given an unfair advantage, but no one should be subject to an unfair disadvantage either.” — Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.
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“Make no mistake — legal defense funds play an indispensable role in American life. They are private attorneys general that assist individuals, often those with few resources and no other representation, to become full shareholders in the American dream. When Justice Thurgood Marshall was nominated, there were those who questioned his role with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. But history does not remember their quibbles kindly.” — Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
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