Sotomayor’s Speeches May Give Her Critics Their Best Ammunition
Sonia Sotomayor has written hundreds of opinions during nearly 17 years as a federal judge but what might actually provide opponents to her nomination to the Supreme Court with the best fodder are speeches she made during two off-the-bench appearances before law school audiences.
Sotomayor said “the court of appeals is where policy is made” during an appearance at a Duke Law School panel in 2005.
“All of the legal defense funds out there, they’re looking for people with court of appeals experience because court of appeals is where policy is made,” she said.
Video of that appearance has already been broadcast frequently on cable news and the Internet this spring.
The 34-second videotape snippet of those comments has provided ammunition — and potential footage for television advertisements — for the argument that Sotomayor is a judicial activist interested in making law rather than interpreting it.
Harold
