Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Bar Association praises Sotomayor

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor received a welcomed boost today after the American Bar Association (ABA) gave her its highest rating.

The ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary unanimously backed Sotomayor as a “well qualified” candidate for the top tribunal of the land. The ABA based its judgment on a review of her “professional integrity, competence and judicial temperament.” The law group refrains from considering judicial ideology.

The ABA had rated Sotomayor twice before; she was deemed as "qualified" by most of the committee when named as a trial judge and "well qualified" by a majority when she was nominated as an appellate judge.

Conservatives have previously blasted the ABA ratings for allegedly being biased towards liberals. Yet thorough reviews were conducted of current Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Associate Justice Samuel A Alito when they were nominated for the Supreme Court and the ABA had gave them "well qualified" ratings.

Despite some allegations that she is some sort of “racist,” ex-Secretary of State Colin Powell defended Sotmayor's judicial acumen:
Critics have attacked Sotomayor as a "reverse racist" for her ruling as an appeals court judge against white firefighters in a civil service promotion case.

They say "she ought to withdraw her nomination because we're mad at her," said Powell on CNN's "State of the Union."

Sotomayor has "an open and liberal bent of mind," Powell said. "But that's not disqualifying."
Image- CNNMoney.com
Online Sources- Wall Street Journal FOX News, New York Daily News, AP, Washington Post

No comments: