Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker releases a statement, saying he'll oppose Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the big bench.
Judge Sotomayor has an impressive background and an inspiring American story. I enjoyed meeting with her in June and let her know I would reserve judgment on her nomination until the conclusion of a fair and thorough hearings process.
After much deliberation and careful review, I have determined that Judge Sotomayor’s record and many of her past statements reflect a view of the Supreme Court that is different from my own.
I view the Supreme Court as a body charged with impartially deciding what the law means as it is applied to a specific case. I believe Judge Sotomayor views the Supreme Court as more of a policy-making body where laws are shaped based on the personal views of the justices.
Unfortunately, nothing I heard during Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings or in my meeting with her in June sufficiently allayed this concern. For this reason, I’m disappointed to say, I will not be able to support Judge Sotomayor’s nomination.
For the Sotomayor camp, this one's a disappointment. Corker's a moderate, southern conservative with a penchant for bucking the party.
The Club for Growth gave him a 73% rating in its 2008 congressional scorecard, which compared unfavorably to Jim DeMint's 100% rating, John Ensign's 88% rating, and Jon Kyl's 90% rating.
For more on Corker's bucking, click here.
[Hat tip: Nashville Post Politics]
