MENENDEZ APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF JUDGE SOTOMAYOR FOR SUPREME COURT

WASHINGTON – US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today released the following statement on President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court Justice:

“I applaud President Obama for this wise and historic nomination. The Senate will be scrutinizing her judicial qualifications, and I believe that Judge Sotomayor is eminently qualified to become a Supreme Court Justice.

“Throughout her distinguished career, including appointments from both Republican and Democratic administrations, Judge Sotomayor has shown a vast knowledge of the law, displayed the proper temperament and gained a breadth of experience that makes her an ideal nominee.

“With this particular selection, President Obama has chosen a qualified candidate while helping to diversify a bench that has never truly reflected the diversity of our society. Diversity is about more than a good group photo, it’s about bringing particular life experiences, which others may not fully understand, to our system of justice. Judge Sotomayor’s personal background is rich with the joys and hardships that millions of American families share.

“Certainly, as an American of Hispanic descent, it fills me with pride to have the opportunity to cast a vote to confirm this groundbreaking nominee. However, her ethnic background alone is not the reason she’ll be confirmed. Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice in 100 years, and more overall judicial experience than anyone confirmed for the Court in the past 70 years. I am eagerly looking forward to her confirmation process.”

                                   # # #