Powell Defends Sotomayor Ruling Against White Firefighters

[bijou]

WASHINGTON -- Colin Powell, one of the nation's most prominent African-Americans, is going after people who attacked Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor because of her stand in favor of affirmative action.

Powell, who's from the same Bronx neighborhood in New York as Sotomayor, said she should face "a spirited set of hearings" in the Senate. But he said the federal appeals court judge, who would be the first Hispanic justice, shouldn't be condemned for ruling against white firefighters who contended they suffered reverse discrimination.

"What we can't continue to have is to have somebody like a Judge Sotomayor ... called a racist, a reverse racist and she ought to withdraw her nomination because we're mad at her," Powell said in an interview broadcast Sunday on "State of the Union" on CNN.

Powell made it clear that he was referring to critics outside the Senate.

"Fortunately, the senators who will sit on this hearing in the Judiciary Committee, after a few days of this kind of nonsense, said, `Let's slow down, let's examine her qualifications in the way we're supposed to at a confirmation hearing."' The committee begins hearings July 13.

Powell said Sotomayor has "an open and liberal bent of mind, but that's not disqualifying. But she seems to have a judicial record that seems to be balanced and tries to follow the law."  ... Powell, a Republican who supported Obama, said his party still is not sensitive enough toward minorities. ...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/05/powell-defends-sotomayor-ruling-white-firefighters/?test=latestnews

[thundley4]

Powell said Sotomayor has "an open and liberal bent of mind, but that's not disqualifying. But she seems to have a judicial record that seems to be balanced and tries to follow the law."

About that balanced record, what's her percentage of having cases overturned by the USSC?  Having an open and liberal bent of mind doesn't make her a racist, but maybe being associated with La Raza might.

[Airwolf]

An over 60% overturning of her record of adjudication should tell anyone just how stupid she is or just how unwilling she is to follow the rule of law and the Constitution. If there was a way for the other eight to kick her off the team they would do it. Her being over turned by 5 of the current sitting judges and the other 4 disagreeing with how she arrived at her decisions is enough to warn others that she is a disaster waiting to happen.

[Gratiot]

An over 60% overturning of her record of adjudication should tell anyone just how stupid she is or just how unwilling she is to follow the rule of law and the Constitution. If there was a way for the other eight to kick her off the team they would do it. Her being over turned by 5 of the current sitting judges and the other 4 disagreeing with how she arrived at her decisions is enough to warn others that she is a disaster waiting to happen.

Startling indeed 

[Texacon]

I have lost so much respect for Colin.  Sad to see the road he has decided to take.

KC