Sessions is Thumbs Down on Sotomayor

Only one GOP Senator on the Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, voted to send Judge Sonia Sotomayor's name to the full Senate for confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the committee’s leading Republican, said just before the vote that he was compelled to oppose the nomination because in some important cases the judge’s decisions were “unacceptably short” and showed a “liberal, pro-government ideology against the individuals asserting their constitutional rights.”

"In speech after speech, year after year, Judge Sotomayor set forth a fully formed ... judicial philosophy that conflicts with the great American tradition of blind justice and fidelity to the law as written."

For the record, here are some of Sen. Sessions notable floor votes, according to the Red Room Website. They presumably show his blindly objective view of crucial constitutional issues.

• Yes on constitutional ban on flag desecration. (June 2006)


• Yes on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (June 2006)


• No on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (June 2002)


• Yes on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (October 2001)


• No on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (June 2000)


• No on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (March 1998)


• Yes on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (October 1997)


• Rated 20% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (December 2002)


• Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (December 2006)


• Rated 7% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (December 2006)

Or perhaps the distinguished gentleman for Alabama believes certain types of folks, such as women, gays, and ethnics, do not deserve a place at the American table. He holds interesting views on racial equality and related issues, according to this May 4, 2009, article in Washington Monthly.