Senator Voinovich Statement On Sotomayor Nomination

Press Release

Senator Voinovich Statement On Sotomayor Nomination

U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) today announced his decision regarding the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He will speak on the Senate floor at 12:00 noon today.

"For both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, then-Senator Obama promoted an ‘empathy standard' to determine if he would vote for those nominees," Sen. Voinovich said. "Then-Senator Obama said, ‘The critical ingredient is supplied by what is in the judge's heart.' Such an analysis is no analysis at all. It flies in the face of the meritocracy in which Judge Sotomayor succeeded. All of us in this chamber can examine the academic credentials of, and prior judicial decisions authored by, a nominee and determine whether he or she is qualified. We cannot examine and judge what is in the heart.

"If I applied President Obama's standard, I would not be voting for Judge Sotomayor, his nominee. The President was wrong. His standard makes the whole nominations process an exercise in partisan politics. We need less politics in the judicial selection process and the Judiciary in general, not more."

During their initial meeting, Sen. Voinovich was struck by Judge Sotomayor's understanding of the great challenge before her. He made his decision based on factors such as: education; prior legal and judicial experience; judicial temperament; and commitment to the rule of law.

"Judge Sotomayor is not the nominee I would have selected if I were president, but making a nomination is not my role here today. My role is to examine her qualifications to determine if she is fit to serve," continued Sen. Voinovich.

During his tenure in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Voinovich has voted on two prior Supreme Court Nominations: Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito. Regarding Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination, the senator stated:

"I believe the factors to be examined in determining whether a Supreme Court nominee is qualified include her education, prior legal and judicial experience, judicial temperament, and commitment to the rule of law. Based on my review of her record, and using these factors, I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a Justice on the Supreme Court."

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