Top Senate Judiciary Republicans Hatch, Cornyn to Vote No on Sonia Sotomayor
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 24, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — When the Senate Judiciary Committee convenes on Tuesday to vote on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, pro-life Sens. John Cornyn and Orrin Hatch won’t give her their support. Still, the panel is expected to approve her nomination to replace pro-abortion Justice David Souter.
In a statement LifeNews.com received, Hatch, a Utah Republican, admitted he was very conflicted over his vote but said he can’t support Sotomayor because she would become a judicial activist on the court.
"Although Judge Sotomayor has a compelling life story and dedication to public service, her statements and record were too much at odds with the principles about the judiciary in which I deeply believe," Hatch said.
"After thoroughly reviewing Judge Sotomayor’s record and being able to hear her testimony and responses during the hearing process, I reluctantly, and with a heavy heart, have found that I cannot support her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court," he said.
Hatch said he wished Obama would have nominated someone else to become the first Hispanic jurist on the high court.
Meanwhile, Cornyn, a Texas Republican, is also in the "no" column on Sotomayor.
He said his negative vote comes “with regret and some sadness," and he called Sotomayor’s record “generally in the mainstream."
But he said “some of her decisions are cause of concern of liberal judicial activism.” And he said some of her public statements reflected “surprisingly radical view of the law.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham was the first Senate Judiciary Republican to announce his support for Sotomayor earlier this week.
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