Sotomayor hearing: Graham defends nominee to critics
Although Sen. Lindsey Graham had some of the toughest exchanges with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor during her testimony, this afternoon he defended her to some of the witnesses who testified against her confirmation.
Linda Chavez, who chairs the Center for Equal Opportunity, had testified criticizing Sotomayor for a host of things including her comments that she used affirmative action to get into the prestigious schools she attended. Afterward, Graham asked Chavez: “Isn’t she a lot more than that?” pointing out that she graduated with honors from those schools, and has obtained the ABA’s highest ranking in addition to a number of other honors.
Graham praised the firefighters Frank Ricca and Ben Vargas, who testified earlier, for their work and achievements. But he also reminded them that although they said job decisions should be based only on merit tests, it was not long ago that tests and other means were used to keep minority members out of jobs and deny them promotions.
“Please don’t lose sight of the fact that not so long ago the test was rigged a different way,” Graham said to Ricci.
To Vargas, Graham said: “You are one generation removed from where your last name would have been it.”
The panel is still being questioned. Stay tuned for more coverage.
