Obama Nominee Sonia Sotomayor Poised to Become First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice

If confirmed to the Supreme Court, she would become the nation’s 111th justice and the third woman to hold a seat on the court. President Obama introduced her in the East Room of the White House yesterday morning and hailed her compelling life story and her experience on the bench.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor thanked the president for what she called “the most humbling honor of my life” and went on to speak about her background and experience.

If confirmed Judge Sotomayor would replace Justice David Souter, who was considered a reliable member of the court’s liberal wing. Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Senate would not be a ‘rubber stamp’ to confirm Sotomayor and said Republicans would “examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law even-handedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences.”

President Obama tapped New York Senator Chuck Schumer to lead the confirmation effort. White House officials told the Washington Post they hope to confirm Sotomayor by August 7th.

To discuss Sotomayor’s nomination we are joined by a roundtable panel of guests. Marjorie Cohn is the president of the National Lawyers Guild and a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She joins us from San Diego. Joining us on the telephone from Washington DC is Tom Goldstein, an attorney who founded the popular SCOTUS Blog that’s devoted to the Supreme Court. Joining us here in the firehouse studio is Cesar Perales, president and General Counsel of Latino Justice, formerly known as the Puerto Rican legal defense and education fund. Sonia Sotomayor served for many years on the group’s board. And on the line from Puerto Rico is Juan Manuel Garcia-Passalacqua, an independent political analyst who publishes a weekly political analysis column for El Vocero. He is a graduate of Harvard law school and a former professor at Yale University. He knows Judge Sotomayor personally.

Cesar Perales, President and General Counsel of Latino Justice PRLDEF, formerly known as the Puerto Rican legal defense and education fund. Sotomayor served for many years on the group’s board.

Juan Manuel Garcia-Passalacqua, independent political analyst in Puerto Rico. He publishes a weekly political analysis column for El Vocero. He is a graduate of Harvard law school and a former professor at Yale University.

Tom Goldstein, an attorney, he founded the SCOTUS Blog that is devoted to the Supreme Court.

Marjorie Cohn, president of the National Lawyers Guild and a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

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