Community Leaders on Judge Sotomayor's Nod

On Tuesday morning, President Obama announced his decision to nominate federal appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the United States Supreme Court. Born of Puerto Rican parents and raised in the Bronx, Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice. Here are the responses from Hispanic leaders in the Greenpoint/Williamsburg area, on the impact of this nomination.
Councilmember Diana Reyna:
“As the first Dominican-American woman elected to office nation-wide, I am heartened at the nomination of a fellow New Yorker, the Honorable Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court. The Justice Sotomayor nomination is historic, and I am sure that her exemplary credentials and “understanding of how the world works” will greatly benefit our country. I commend President Obama’s decision, and I urge the Senate to work quickly to confirm Judge Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court.”
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez:
“The President has chosen a nominee with a record of excellence and integrity and I commend him for this thoughtful appointment. Her uniquely American story of rising from a humble background to overcome numerous obstacles, coupled with her professional experience at nearly every level of the judicial system, make her an outstanding choice. Not only will she bring a balanced approach to legal issues that will benefit all Americans, but, importantly, this historic selection adds needed diversity to the Court. I urge the Senate to move swiftly to confirm Judge Sotomayor before the August Recess.”
Senator Martin Malavé Dilan:
“I am elated to hear Judge Sonia Sotomayor has been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor has a well-deserved reputation as an intuitive, inspiring and just jurist. She has risen from her humble roots in the Bronx, to become a well-known, respected facet of the United States Court of Appeals these last ten years. I look forward to her continued service and success upon confirmation as the first Latina in history named to the Supreme Court.”
El Puente Founder Luis Garden Acosta:
“I founded El Puente in the belief that America could be America. That all young people could have the opportunity someday to contribute to t he nation and the world. Of course history would tell us that ideal was less than probable. History would tell us that we could never have a black president. History would argue that there would never be a poor Latina from the South Bronx on the greatest court in the world. And yet, today, we have a black president who has nominated a Puerto Rican woman from the south Bronx to the highest court in our land. It is a wonderful day, it’s beautiful.”
City Council Candidate Jo Anne Simon:
“When Judge Sonia Sotomayor was nominated to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Republican opposition to her nomination centered on three cases it deemed “too liberal”. I tried one of those cases, Bartlett v NYS Board of Law Examiners. From the moment of our first appearance in court, it was clear that Judge Sotomayor cared about the person behind the caption. She cared that her courtroom was a level playing field, a place where people seeking justice would find it. She cared about the real-life consequences of her decisions on people’s lives. She was brilliant, tough-minded and fair. By not checking her humanity at the door, she proved that she is not just the brightest, but the best.”