Sen. Gillibrand Voices Support for Sotomayor in Debate
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
New York, NY –
On Capitol Hill, Senators continue their debate on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor along largely partisan lines, with Republicans saying Sotomayor would bring bias to the court, and Democrats asserting that she's a mainstream moderate.
REPORTER: New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand addressed the widely-reported "wise Latina" comment in her remarks. She noted that in their confirmation hearings, Justices Scalia and Alito had described their life experiences as informative.
GILLIBRAND: As Americans, we honor the diversity of our society, as our esteemed jurists have noted, the construct of the court is shaped by the diverse experiences and viewpoints of each of its justices.
REPORTER: Gillibrand says it's Sotomayor's experience and record -- not ethnicity or gender alone -- that make her uniquely qualified.
A handful of Republican senators have voiced their support for Sotomayor, making her confirmation this week as the first Hispanic justice all but assured.
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