Republicans Attack Sotomayor Questionnaire, Say It Was Too Hastily Prepared
EmailABC News' Z. Byron Wolf and Sunlen Miller report: Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, still smarting at what they say is a rushed schedule for Sonia Sotomayors’ Supreme Court nomination hearing, sent Sotomayor a letter Wednesday asking her to clarify what they say are omissions from her questionnaire.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, blasted the White House in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday for racing to get the nominees questionnaire to the committee and failing to complete it.
“This is a confirmation process, not a confirmation race,” said Sessions. “And the White House, I think, should focus more on having a thorough and complete answer to the questionnaire, not on entering the Guinness book of record for the fastest response. We know now that Judge Sotomayor has omitted and failed to include key information that provided incomplete and sometimes contradictory responses to the questionnaire. the responses are not satisfactory.”
They allege in their letter that the omissions include everything from failing to provide transcripts or in-depth summaries from a number of the 191 speeches Sotomayor says she has given, to failing to include some court documents from 14 cases she argued because, “the Manhattan District Attorneys is searching its records for further information on these cases.”
They also point to a question that asks for articles in law journals for which Sotomayor has written or edited. While Sotomayor included articles she wrote, she did not include any material for the Yale Law Review, of which she was editor.
Other complaints seem less severe. On one spot in the questionnaire Sotomayor says she served as a “member and vice president of the board of directors” of the Puerto Rican Education and Legal Defense Fund. In another spot she refers to herself as a having served as “first vice president.” The Republicans want a clarification.
In all, Republican members demand clarification on ten points in their four page letter.
Following GOP complains that there have been omissions from Sotomayor’s questionnaire, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that any information lacking will be provided in a timely manner.
“As is the case with many Supreme Court nominees, additional information based on questions that they have or going back into the record quite some time, for instance, whether it's her work as a district attorney, obviously, that was a number of years ago, those files have to be pulled," said Gibbs. "And anything that is lacked in the questionnaire will be provided in a timely manner to the committee.”
Gibbs said, for example that John Roberts had “thousands of pages” in the achieves that ultimately had to be delivered after the original questionnaire was sent to the Hill.
All this speaks to the speed with which Democrats want to hold Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings – starting July 13th.
Democrats say that’s plenty of time for Republicans to review Sotomayor’s record. Republicans disagree. There will be no resolution to this very political argument.
Gulf of Mexico to Become Gulf of America? 
Can Mitt Romney Win Conservatives Back?
just goes to show, the girl’s not the brightest bulb in the lamp.
Posted by: marco | June 10, 2009, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
“just goes to show, the girl’s not the brightest bulb in the lamp.”
Summa cum laude at Princeton, Yale Law editor.
Marco = fox news viewer
Posted by: Ryan C | June 10, 2009, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm
just goes to show, the girl’s not the brightest bulb in the lamp.
Posted by: marco
which I guess is why she’s up for the Supreme Court position and you posting here about her capabilities…… yikes !!!
Posted by: 1776 | June 10, 2009, 6:31 pm 6:31 pm
They haven’t allowed her to talk on camera at any of the “meetings” she’s attended with the senators. I saw that on the government run media. See how the loonies sink to name calling when you disagree with them. Barry would be proud of you comrade RC. Even Rachael Madcow agrees.
Posted by: marco | June 10, 2009, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm
“They haven’t allowed her to talk on camera at any of the “meetings” she’s attended with the senators”
The hearings will be on cspan.
Posted by: Ryan C | June 10, 2009, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm
She didn’t complete the questionnaire. OK, either should couldn’t or wouldn’t. Which defense with the government run media go with?
Posted by: marco | June 10, 2009, 6:38 pm 6:38 pm
It’s kinda funny. Sotomayor mis-spoke.
About two dozen times.
Posted by: drjohn | June 10, 2009, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
Good Dr.
That’s why they are keeping her mouth shut until the hearings.
Posted by: marco | June 10, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
I told you this from the beginning..she’ll have a robe and powdered wig.. before September..
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | June 10, 2009, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm
Republicans are in no position to demand SQUAT from anyone at this point…. they should treat this nominee with the respect she deserves….which is a lot more than ANYONE they’ve put up in awhile. Have we forgotten Clarence Thomas and the COKE….. back off you sore losers!
Posted by: Stacy | June 10, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm
What do they expect.. a bunch of unwise white males with no life wrote the questions…
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | June 10, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm
It is going to be wonderful to have a great progressive Latino to smack down all the old white guys. After Obamas 8 years we should have a 7-2 domination of the courts
Posted by: Pat | June 10, 2009, 8:11 pm 8:11 pm
Roberts, Alitto, Thomas and Scalia….talk about unqualified to sit on the supreme court. This woman should be confirmed without a hearing. The GOP have nothing to offer to help this nation. Take Newt and your ball and go some place else.
Posted by: Dunlike | June 10, 2009, 8:27 pm 8:27 pm
Politics and the Judiciary system should not mix and makes me twitch when republicans gang up in a hearing…if she dose not cut it, democrates and republicans should agree. It doesn’t seem like that is going to happen…shes a lock!!
Posted by: Streetparlay | June 10, 2009, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm
How desperate are the republicans for something to rail against. Can you believe this pathetic group of cry babies once had complete control of our country.
Posted by: fool me once | June 10, 2009, 9:14 pm 9:14 pm
Obama’s & Dem’s policy, keep your mouth shut until all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed. Then it will be too late for the stupid American’s and Media to do anything about it.
Posted by: camp50 | June 10, 2009, 9:21 pm 9:21 pm
“After Obamas 8 years we should have a 7-2 domination of the courts…” And pretty much every right fought and died for will have be done away with.
Posted by: Keith | June 10, 2009, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm
The Republicans are stalling; hoping that they will find something shocking to use against her. In the end, she will be appointed to the court,but only after we have watched the Senate waste precious time. Time which should have been used to focus on fixing the many problems our nation currently faces.
Posted by: Nunnenj | June 10, 2009, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm
“Republicans are in no position to demand SQUAT from anyone at this point..”
Actually they have every right. Remember this: every Republican was elected to represent citizens of this country. Those citizens have a right to be heard.
Posted by: Texas Libertarian | June 10, 2009, 10:43 pm 10:43 pm
Have they convienently forgotten that they investigated and questioned and interviewed her before for her confirmation as a federal judge? Why does it require another 10,000 pages of BS that none of them are going to read anyway?
It’s all politics. They hope to stall her confirmation so she won’t be able to hear cases and vote in the next term.
Posted by: OB-Wan222 | June 10, 2009, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
This is rushed in just like Obama’s unread stimulus bill which we find out is full of PORK! Oh and Jilli, the country heard Democrats wine, cry, wear black ribbons and have protests over the last 8 years.
Posted by: 1MANA55 | June 10, 2009, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm
OBWan: When was she first appointed a federal judge? Or are you hinting that she has done nothing since that appointment?
Posted by: downsteamJim | June 10, 2009, 10:54 pm 10:54 pm
Sotomayer is more qualified because of the experience she has gained working for the past 17 years as prosecutor and judge. Of course republicans don’t like how fast anything will be done about this Supreme Court nominee. Why would they? All they do is obstruct and stand against anything our president and government tries to do. This is something they never had the sense to do when Bush was harming and bankrupting our country for eight years.
Posted by: Vicki | June 10, 2009, 11:46 pm 11:46 pm
Why is it acting like this when I am trying to post a comment? It is really not working for some reason. My posts are not posting.
Posted by: Vicki Robbins | June 10, 2009, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm
Obama’s & Dem’s policy, keep your mouth shut until all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed. Then it will be too late for the stupid American’s and Media to do anything about it. Posted by: camp50
***********************************************
Gee the ink wasn’t even dry on the Chief Justice Roberts questionaire, why not now.
Posted by: spacerook1 | June 11, 2009, 12:09 am 12:09 am
With the Democrats in control, her appointment is a foregone conclusion.
Posted by: Jolat | June 11, 2009, 12:38 am 12:38 am
Boy,, let’s see if our GOP leadership can find out if Sotomayor writes with her left or right hand… How about her position on J-walking? Come on boys, stop the juvenile games. If you have any real issues, bring them forward, otherwise, stop the grandstanding and get on with the hearings.
Posted by: fittinguy | June 11, 2009, 1:54 am 1:54 am
I have stated earlier and the comment was not deliberaately posted by this paper, that what Sotomyer did was take easy courses throughout her high school and Princeton years, but whenever she tried to take the standardized tests like PSAT, SAT, and LSAT, she was a bummer, and it was only through affirmative action’s grace that she pulled through her admissions to ivy league. Finally, it was through affirmative action plus the ethnic political considerations that she got nominated to the federal bench and elevated to the appellate level. Alas,such an opportunity is denied to other meritorious candidates and this country has become poorer. She was never a legal scholar and will be just an obstructionist on supreme court bench.
Posted by: narumanchi | June 11, 2009, 6:11 am 6:11 am
narumanchi – Please show us the proof that she took easy courses! Also, how does Affirmative Action help you graduate Suma Cume Laude, the top 2%!? You are one that can only reconcile a minority doing well by chalking it up to Affirmative Action! This woman earned her place. Your views are the exact reason there is Affirmative Action. You can’t in your world judge her on her merits!
Posted by: Try the truth | June 11, 2009, 8:37 am 8:37 am
This really falls under the ‘elections have consequences’ rule… if you win you get to do more as far as appointees than if you lose. Republicans did and now Dems are doing it.
This is not rocket science, Sotomayor will be confirmed, it’s a matter of when and which side does the most inane posturing during the hearings.
Posted by: Oh Yeah | June 11, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am
Aiming for a drudge link again? Your line: “All this speaks to the speed with which Democrats want to hold Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings –” If by “speed” you mean the same general timeline followed for most SCOTUS nominees then that would ring true but as usual you seem to be sipping from the kool-aid again.
Posted by: Patrick in Chicago | June 11, 2009, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
“I have stated earlier and the comment was not deliberaately posted by this paper, that what Sotomyer did was take easy courses throughout her high school and Princeton years, but whenever she tried to take the standardized tests like PSAT, SAT, and LSAT, she was a bummer,”
Right wing racists keep it up.
If Hispanics keep up as 9% of the electorate in 2010 and/or 2012, the GOP may remain out of power for a very very long time.
Posted by: Ryan C | June 11, 2009, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm