Two quotes from Judge Sonia Sotomayor have been getting a lot more attention in the wake of President Barack Obama’s announcement of her Supreme Court nomination.
Conservative members of the Senate are sure to test Sotomayor on exactly what she meant when she said the following:
“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion [as a judge] than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
– Speaking at the Judge Mario G. Olmos Law and Cultural Diversity Lecture series at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 2001.
“Um, all of the legal defense funds out there, um, they’re looking for people out there with court of appeals experience, because [a] court of appeals is where policy is made. And I know, I know this is on tape and I should never say that because we don’t make law, I know. Um, um — [laughter] — I know. I’m not promoting it, I’m not advocating it … ”
– As part of a panel discussion for Duke University law students in 2005.
