PRESIDENT BARACK Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor fended off Republican attacks yesterday, saying “diversity on the bench is good for America” and that her legal decisions would be based on law, not racial bias.
Grilled by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ms Sotomayor – who would become the first Hispanic on the US top court – coolly explained the context for one of her most controversial comments: that a “wise Latina” might reach a better legal decision than a white man.
“The process of judging is a process of keeping an open mind,” the appeals court judge told her confirmation hearing, and said all jurists must guard against internal prejudice.
“I believe my record of 17 years demonstrates fully that I do believe that judges must apply the law and not make the law,” Ms Sotomayor (55), said.
Democrats call Mr Obama’s decision to nominate Ms Sotomayor historic and have emphasised her long career as a prosecutor and appeals court judge. But Republicans have focused on charges that her decisions could show racial bias.
Republicans have drawn ammunition from a 2001 speech which included the “wise Latina” comment, as well as an appeals court decision she made upholding a city’s right to reject firefighter test results which did not produce enough minority candidates.
Offered a chance to explain the “wise Latina” comments yesterday, Ms Sotomayor said the comments were an unfortunate “rhetorical riff” and were meant to inspire young Hispanics and women to get involved with the law. “I do not believe that any ethnic, racial or gender group has an advantage in sound judgment,” she said, adding that every person had an equal opportunity to be a good judge. – (Reuters)