Endorsements

President Barack Obama:

“It's a measure of her qualities and her qualifications that Judge Sotomayor was nominated to the U.S. District Court by a Republican President, George H.W. Bush, and promoted to the Federal Court of Appeals by a Democrat, Bill Clinton. Walking in the door she would bring more experience on the bench, and more varied experience on the bench, than anyone currently serving on the United States Supreme Court had when they were appointed.”

“Along the way she's faced down barriers, overcome the odds, lived out the American Dream that brought her parents here so long ago. And even as she has accomplished so much in her life, she has never forgotten where she began, never lost touch with the community that supported her.”

“What Sonia will bring to the Court, then, is not only the knowledge and experience acquired over a course of a brilliant legal career, but the wisdom accumulated from an inspiring life's journey. And when Sonia Sotomayor ascends those marble steps to assume her seat on the highest court of the land, America will have taken another important step towards realizing the ideal that is etched above its entrance: Equal justice under the law.”

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee:

"I believe that Judge Sotomayor will be in the mold of Justice Souter, who understands the real-world impact of the Court's decisions, rather than the mold of the conservative activists who second-guess Congress, and who through judicial extremism undercut laws meant to protect Americans from discrimination in their jobs, their access to health care and education, and their privacy from an overreaching government. I believe Judge Sotomayor understands that the courthouse doors must be as open to ordinary Americans as they are to government and big corporations."

Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus:

"Judge Sotomayor brings with her the experience, discipline, integrity, commitment and intellectual prowess she has cultivated throughout an extensive career. She has consistently demonstrated a balanced, clear-minded respect for our laws and our Constitution. She embodies our shared belief that, if you are talented and willing to work hard, the American dream is within reach. Throughout her life, she has overcome a series of challenges, leaving the Bronx housing projects to graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University and receive her law degree from Yale. We look forward to working with her and the White House to ensure a fair and smooth confirmation process."

Henry Solano, Interim President and General Counsel, MALDEF:

“In selecting Judge Sotomayor, President Obama has not only made history but has selected an individual of exceptional talent, experience and commitment to justice. Judge Sotomayor has been a successful prosecutor, a corporate litigator in private practice and a highly regarded and accomplished appellate judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She was the youngest judge in the Southern District of New York and the first Hispanic federal judge in the state when President George W. H. Bush nominated her to the U. S. District Court Southern District of New York in 1992."

“Well-respected and highly qualified, Judge Sotomayor is a judicial moderate who will apply the law with fairness and impartiality. With Judge Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, President Obama recognizes the growing influence and contributions of the Hispanic community to our system of justice.”

Janet Murguía, CEO and President, NCLR:

“Today is a monumental day for Latinos. Finally, we see ourselves represented on the highest court in the land. Judge Sotomayor’s story personifies the American Dream for so many Latinos in this country. By nominating someone with the experience, background, and superb legal credentials of Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama has made an excellent choice for the entire country. The President wanted a justice who not only is a respected jurist, but also understands how the law affects the lives of everyday people. Judge Sotomayor embodies those qualities. We commend President Obama for making this historic appointment and for recognizing that excellence and diversity are not mutually exclusive.”

Rosa Rosales, National President, LULAC:

“LULAC is delighted that President Obama has made history by nominating Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor is an outstanding nominee with three decades of judicial experience who will be a brilliant Supreme Court justice who serves the nation well. We thank President Obama for making history again by making the first nomination of a Latino to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Brent Wilkes, National Executive Director, LULAC:

“The Supreme Court should reflect the diverse population of the United Sates to ensure that our nation’s highest court understands the unique circumstances of all Americans. President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court brings an outstanding jurist with more experience than any Supreme Court nominee in one hundred years along with the experience of growing up in a low income Latino family.”

Jorge Mursuli, President and CEO, Democracia USA:

"Sonia Sotomayor is the embodiment of the American Dream: a strong Latina who with hard work, perseverance and sheer brilliance has worked her way to the top. With her nomination, Judge Sotomayor has already made history. With her confirmation, we will be one step closer to an America where all Americans can believe that anything is possible."

Erwin Chemerinsky, Founding Dean, UC Irvine Law School:

"But most of all, Sotomayor is an excellent choice because she is an outstanding judge. Her opinions are clearly written and invariably well-reasoned. My former students who have clerked for her rave about her as a judge and as a person. She has enormous experience as a lawyer and as a judge, both in the federal district court and the federal court of appeals. The bottom line is that the court will now have its third woman justice in history, its first Latina, and an individual who likely will be an excellent justice for decades to come."

Robert Morgenthau, New York District Attorney:

"President Obama has made an outstanding choice in selecting Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Throughout her career, Judge Sotomayor has shown that she possesses the wisdom, intelligence, collegiality, and good character needed to fill the position for which she has been nominated. It is a credit to the President, and indeed to the United States, that an individual born in humble circumstances in the South Bronx can, simply by dint of talent and hard work, rise to be recognized as the right candidate for a seat on the highest Court in the land."

“Since Justice David Souter announced his retirement much attention has been paid to the qualifications of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit, who conceivably could be chosen to replace him ("Succeeding Souter," Review & Outlook, May 2). I hired the judge to be an assistant district attorney in 1979, right after her graduation from Yale Law School, and I thought I might have something relevant to add to the discussion.

“Some have suggested that the judge is "liberal," and that allegation makes me smile. Judge Sotomayor was a fearless and effective prosecutor while she was here, and I am sure that none of the defendants in her cases thought of her as a "liberal." To be sure, she is in favor of civil rights, in the sense that she believes there should be no discrimination against minorities. And she understands poverty, and does seem to favor government action that will provide a safety net to the poor. Those are, however, not exactly radical positions.

“As is very evident from the opinions she has written, Judge Sotomayor believes in the rule of law. Some notice that she is Hispanic and female, and would typecast her as an "activist." But I look at her record, and see an able champion of the law serving with great distinction on the second most important appellate court in the world. Judge Sotomayor is highly qualified for any position in which wisdom, intelligence, collegiality and good character would be assets.”

Charles Ogletree, Law Professor, Harvard Law School:

"I think it’s a bold and brilliant choice by President Obama. I think she has all the characteristics that he talked about: empathy, experience, judgment. She will walk right into the Supreme Court on first Monday in October and she will be a very significant contributor to the intellectual dialogue going forward."

Ramona Romero, President, Hispanic National Bar Association:

"President Obama has nominated a jurist who is extraordinarily well-prepared to serve the American people on the Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor's stellar academic credentials, extraordinary intellect, and her broad legal experience as a prosecutor, corporate attorney, and judge on the federal trial and appellate courts make her an excellent choice. The historic nature of her nomination, the fact that she happens to be a Latina, and her compelling personal story are just icing on the cake. Judge Sotomayor has clearly earned her seat at the Supreme Court's conference table."

Cesar Perales, President and General Counsel, Latino Justice/PRLDEF:

"This is the most important Hispanic appointment that has been made in this country's history. It is a recognition that we are coming of age, that we can be one of nine wise people on the Supreme Court, making decisions that affect everyone in this country."

Federico Peña, Former Mayor of Denver and Secretary of the Departments of Transportation and Energy in the Clinton Administration:

"In Judge Sotomayor, President Obama has nominated a person who is experienced, tenacious, diligent and impartial. She is blessed with an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live. When confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Judge Sotomayor will likely sit on the bench for 20 years or more, but her imprint on this country will endure for generations thereafter. We should be so fortunate."