[Peace-discuss] Ten Things About Judge Sonia Sotomayor

Wed May 27 03:04:49 CDT 2009

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nita Chaudhary, MoveOn.org Political Action <moveon-help at list.moveon.org>
Date: Tue, May 26, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Subject: Ten Things About Judge Sonia Sotomayor
To: Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org>

Dear MoveOn member,

Today, President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the next
U.S. Supreme Court justice. Of course, the Right is already fighting
against her confirmation—so we need to get the facts out about her
impressive qualifications and background.

Below is a list of 10 key things about Sonia Sotomayor that you might
not know. Can you check it out and send it to 10 friends today? If
each of us forwards the list, we can start to get the word out about
Judge Sotomayor, and help to ensure that she gets a speedy and fair
confirmation process.

Ten Things To Know About Judge Sonia Sotomayor

1. Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the
bench than any Supreme Court justice in 100 years. Over her
three-decade career, she has served in a wide variety of legal roles,
including as a prosecutor, litigator, and judge.

2. Judge Sotomayor is a trailblazer. She was the first Latina to serve
on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was the youngest
member of the court when appointed to the District Court for the
Southern District of New York. If confirmed, she will be the first
Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3. While on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has consistently protected the
rights of working Americans, ruling in favor of health benefits and
fair wages for workers in several cases.

4. Judge Sotomayor has shown strong support for First Amendment
rights, including in cases of religious expression and the rights to
assembly and free speech.

5. Judge Sotomayor has a strong record on civil rights cases, ruling
for plaintiffs who had been discriminated against based on disability,
sex and race.

6. Judge Sotomayor embodies the American dream. Born to Puerto Rican
parents, she grew up in a South Bronx housing project and was raised
from age nine by a single mother, excelling in school and working her
way to graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University and to
become an editor of the Law Journal at Yale Law School.

7. In 1995, Judge Sotomayor "saved baseball" when she stopped the
owners from illegally changing their bargaining agreement with the
players, thereby ending the longest professional sports walk-out in
history.

8. Judge Sotomayor ruled in favor of the environment in a case of
protecting aquatic life in the vicinity of power plants in 2007, a
decision that was overturned by the Roberts Supreme Court.

9. In 1992, Judge Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate without
opposition after being appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush.

10. Judge Sotomayor is a widely respected legal figure, having been
described as "...an outstanding colleague with a keen legal mind,"
"highly qualified for any position in which wisdom, intelligence,
collegiality and good character would be assets," and "a role model of
aspiration, discipline, commitment, intellectual prowess and
integrity."

Judge Sotomayor is an historic, uniquely qualified nominee to the
Supreme Court. Let's get the word out and make sure we get a prompt,
fair confirmation on her nomination.

Thanks for all you do,

–Nita, Kat, Daniel, Ilyse and the rest of the team

Sources for each of the 10 things:

1. White House Statement, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=1

2. White House Statement, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=2

3. Cases: Archie v. Grand Cent. Partnership, 997 F. Supp. 504
(S.D.N.Y. 1998) and Marcella v. Capital Dist. Physicians' Health Plan,
Inc., 293 F.3d 42 (2d Cir. 2002).

4. Cases: Flamer v. White Plains, 841 F. Supp. 1365 (S.D.N.Y. 1993),
Ford v. McGinnis, 352 F.3d 382 (2d Cir. 2003), and Campos v. Coughlin,
854 F. Supp. 194 (S.D.N.Y. 1994).

5a. "Sotomayor's Notable Court Opinions and Articles," The New York
Times, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51454&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=3

5b. Cases: Bartlett v. N.Y. State Board, 970 F. Supp. 1094 (S.D.N.Y.
1997), Greenbaum v. Svenska Hendelsbanken, 67 F.Supp.2d 228 (S.D.N.Y.
1999), Raniola v. Bratton, 243 F.3d 610 (2d Cir. 2001), and Gant v.
Wallingford Board of Education, 195 F.3d 134 (2d Cir. 1999).

6. "Sonia Sotomayor: 10 Things You Should Know," The Huffington Post,
May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51452&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=4

7. "How Sotomayor 'Saved' Baseball," Time, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51455&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=5

8. "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51453&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=6

9. "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51453&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=7

10a. Judge Richard C. Wesley, a George W. Bush appointee to the Second Circuit.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=8

10b. "Sotomayor is Highly Qualified," The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51456&id=16226-6831705-XnmOGPx&t=9

10c. Honorary Degree Citation, Pace University School of Law, 2003 Commencement.

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