GOP unwilling to filibuster Sotomayor

Thu, 28 May 2009 09:51:59 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=96276&sectionid=3510203

Leading Republican Senator Jeff Sessions says he will grill Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Obama's pick for the US Supreme Court justice, but vows no filibuster.

Sessions, the high-ranking Republican authority on the Senate Judiciary Committee, lashed out at Sotomayor on Wednesday, questioning the Hispanic-origin Judge's eligibility for the job.

"The nominee has serious problems," Sessions noted, adding, "We have an absolute constitutional duty to make sure that any nominee, no matter what their background and what kind of life story they have . . . will be faithful to the law and not allow their personal views to influence decision-making."

The Republican said, however, that his party remains reluctant to filibuster the 54-year-old nomination as the embattled party does not seek more downhill trend in the Senate but hopes to "broaden its tent."

Meanwhile, Sotomayor's nomination still draws Republican fire as the party members continue their barrage on the US Appeals Court judge.

On Tuesday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called Sotomayor a 'racist' over her 2001 remarks in which she had challenged the wisdom of a 'white male.'

Democrats currently hold 59 seats out of the 100 in the upper chamber of the Congress, which is only one seat shy of providing the party with filibuster-proof rulings.

Yet, Sotomayor will apparently experience a trouble-free vote due no later than August as seven Republican Senators have already responded positively to President Barack Obama's calls for a speedy vote-in on Sotomayor.