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President Barack Obama has urged the Senate to vote on
confirming Sotomayor to the high court as its first Latina
justice before it leaves for a congressional recess in August.
Republicans have pressed for more time to consider the
nomination.
But Leahy, a Democrat, said there was ``no reason to unduly
delay consideration of this well-qualified nominee. She deserves
the opportunity to go before the public and speak of her
record.'' He said the hearings will be her first and only
opportunity to publicly defend herself against criticism,
including conservative charges that she's racist.
``This is a historic nomination, and I hope all senators will
cooperate,'' Leahy said. ``She deserves a fair hearing—not trial
by attack and assaults about her character.''
Republicans questioned the schedule, saying it was too early to
know whether they would be done reviewing Sotomayor's nearly
17-year record of rulings from the federal bench in time to
allow for hearings that soon.
``An arbitrary date on this nomination, when we're not clear yet
how long it's going to take to work our way through her
extensive record ... strikes me as not a good way to proceed,''
said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The announcement came as a surprise to Republicans, several
aides said. It followed a round of private haggling between
Leahy and Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the
Judiciary Committee, on a hearing date.
At the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama was
pleased with the schedule, which puts Sotomayor on track for
confirmation in time for the start of the court's term in
October.
Both Leahy and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat,
spoke to Obama by phone Tuesday before Leahy went to the Senate
floor to announce the hearing date.
Mid-July hearings should allow for a vote on confirming
Sotomayor before the August break, Leahy said, ``unless people
put unnecessary delays'' on the nomination. He noted that the
timetable roughly matches the one Republicans and Democrats
agreed on for confirming Chief Justice John G. Roberts after
then-President George W. Bush named him in 2005.
The announcement came as Sotomayor was camped out in a
congressional office meeting with a succession of visiting
senators, having scrapped plans to go see them in their offices
because of a broken ankle.
Sotomayor said she felt great a day after stumbling in the
airport while rushing for a flight from New York to Washington.
But the judge, whose right leg is in a cast and is using
crutches, opted to hold meetings in the office of the No. 2
Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin, rather than hobble through hallways
for the eight visits on her schedule.
Obama's team, meanwhile, continued promoting Sotomayor's
confirmation; it held an event at the White House to showcase
her endorsement by eight national law enforcement organizations
including the Fraternal Order of Police and the National
Association of District Attorneys.
Conservatives called the event an attempt to falsely portray
Sotomayor as a ``law and order'' judge.
Associated Press Writers Ann Sanner, Jim Abrams, Julie Pace and
Phil Elliott contributed to this story. |
