Voino, Begich To Support Sotomayor
Ahead of a vote pending in the next hour or so, Sonia Sotomayor has picked up two more supporters: Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) became her ninth GOP backer, while Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) virtually guaranteed that the Dem vote will be unanimous.
"I believe the factors to be examined in determining whether a Supreme Court nominee is qualified include her education, prior legal and judicial experience, judicial temperament, and commitment to the rule of law," Voinovich said on the Senate floor. "Based on my review of her record, and using these factors, I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a Justice on the Supreme Court."
Voinovich, in his speech, was critical of Pres. Obama for voting against John Roberts and Samuel Alito when their nominations came before the Senate.
"If I applied President Obama's standard," Voinovich said, "I would not be voting for Judge Sotomayor, his nominee. The President was wrong. His standard makes the whole nominations process an exercise in partisan politics. We need less politics in the judicial selection process and the Judiciary in general, not more."
Begich, on the other hand, waited until less than an hour-and-a-half before the vote to announce in a statement e-mailed to reporters that he would support Sotomayor. His fellow Alaskan, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), had said that her office was innundated with constituent messages that expressed concern about Sotomayor's 2nd Amendment positions.
Begich said Sotomayor allayed those concerns when they met in June.
"During our meeting," Begich said in the statement, "I told her that Alaskans believe especially strongly in the 2nd Amendment and our right to bear arms, that we cherish our personal privacy and privacy rights and that we strive for a careful balance between protecting our state's unmatched beauty and the need to develop our natural resources. Judge Sotomayor told me that she understands and appreciates these strongly held Alaskan and American values."
Sens. Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) are expected to attend the vote. That should put the final tally at 68-31 in favor of Sotomayor's confirmation.
(STEVEN SHEPARD)
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