Sotomayor confirmed by Senate Vote

Senate confirms Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, 68-31

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• http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/nominations/Nominations.htm

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Senate votes to confirm Sotomayor to the Supreme Court

Senate votes to confirm Sotomayor to the Supreme Court

Sonia Sotomayor will become the U.S. Supreme Court's first Hispanic justice as the Senate Wednesday confirmed the veteran federal appellate judge by a 68-to-31 vote.

Sotomayor, 55, was touted during three days of Senate debate as an American success story. Raised in a Bronx, N.Y., public housing project by a single mother, she had a stellar academic career and served as a federal prosecutor, trial judge and appellate court judge before becoming President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court choice.

"It is distinctively American to continually refine our union, moving us closer to our ideals. Our union is not yet perfected, but with this confirmation we will be making progress." said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

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Grassley to oppose Sotomayor

Grassley to oppose Sotomayor

The No. 2 Republican on the Judiciary Committee says he'll vote against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says Sotomayor didn't convince him she'd be able to set aside personal biases and prejudices to decide cases impartially. He says he still feels burned by his support for Justice David Souter, who Sotomayor would replace if confirmed.

Souter was named by a GOP president but has turned out to be more liberal than most Republicans wanted.

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Sotomayor picks up more GOP support with vote near

Sotomayor picks up more GOP support with vote near

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor picked up more GOP support Wednesday in her drive toward near-certain Senate confirmation this week as the first Hispanic justice, even as a growing chorus of Republicans called her unfit for the bench.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., became the seventh Republican to announce he'll vote for President Barack Obama's nominee, saying he disagrees with some of her rulings and statements but considers her a well-qualified jurist.

"There's been no significant finding against her, there's been no public uprising against her," said Bond, who is retiring. "I will support her, I'll be proud for her, the community she represents and the American dream she shows is possible."

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Senate Judiciary panel approves Sonia Sotomayor nomination

Senate Judiciary panel approves Sonia Sotomayor nomination

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to back the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court; and conservatives are mobilizing to use the vote against vulnerable Democrats in next year's elections.

The committee voted 13-6 Tuesday morning to send Sotomayor's nomination to the full Senate. Just one Republican, South Carolina's Lindsey Graham, joined Democrats in voting for President Barack Obama's first high court nominee.

The full Senate will probably debate, vote and confirm her on a largely party-line vote next week.

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Judiciary Committee OKs Sotomayor for high court

Judiciary Committee OKs Sotomayor for high court

Pushing toward a historic Supreme Court confirmation vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the first Hispanic justice, over nearly solid Republican opposition.

The panel's 13-6 vote for Sotomayor masked deep political divisions within GOP ranks about confirming President Barack Obama's first high court nominee. Just one Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, joined Democrats to support her, although four others have said they'll vote for Sotomayor when her nomination comes before the full Senate next week - and that number is expected to grow.

"I would not have chosen her, but I understand why President Obama did. I gladly give her my vote, because I think she meets the qualifications test," Graham said. Obama's choice to nominate the first-ever Latina to the highest court is "a big deal," he added, declaring that, "America has changed for the better with her selection."

By DAVID LIGHTMAN AND MICHAEL DOYLE

McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Wednesday voted 68-31 to confirm veteran federal appellate judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, and on Saturday she'll become the court's first Hispanic justice.

Sotomayor, 55, was touted during three days of Senate debate as an American success story. Raised in a Bronx, N.Y., public housing project by her widowed mother, she had a stellar academic career and served as a federal prosecutor, trial judge and appellate court judge before President Barack Obama made her his first Supreme Court choice.

At the White House, Obama hailed the vote, saying, "These core American ideals - justice, equality and opportunity - are the very ideals that have made Judge Sotomayor's own uniquely American journey possible. They're ideals she's fought for throughout her career, and the ideals the Senate has upheld today in breaking yet another barrier and moving us yet another step closer to a more perfect union."

He said he was "very happy" that she got 68 votes.

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