May 27, 2009 7:45 AM

Former Clerk: Sotomayor's A "Legal Purist"

By
Daniel Carty
Topics
Sonia Sotomayor
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
A former law clerk for newly announced Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor defended her old boss against criticism that she's judicially biased, calling her a "legal purist."

Julia Tarver Mason, who spent a year clerking for Sotomayor when she was a federal judge, told CBS' The Early Show Wednesday that Sotomayor "is not someone who is going to try to reach a particular result in a particular case. She calls them straight down the middle, just like she sees them."

Republicans have voiced early criticism of President Barack Obama's selection to replace Justice David Souter, with some questioning whether she lets personal feelings and politics overshadow the law in her decisions.

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh went so far as to call Sotomayor a "reverse racist" for her decision ruling against mainly white firefighters who had filed a reverse discrimination suit against New Haven, Conn.

(CBS)
"That's an absurd notion," Mason said "Judge Sotomayor is one of the most egalitarian people I have ever met. She treats people equally, no matter their background or ethnicity. I think the … fact that people from the right are throwing these outrageous allegations right now is just an indication that they don't know much about her record."

Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez also asked Mason about a speech Sotomayor made at the University of California at Berkeley in 2001, during which she said "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

Mason defended the comments, saying they referred to diversity on the court. "Diversity of life experience and perspective is very important and few of us would argue with that.

"I think what she was trying to convey in that comment was that we all bring our life experiences with us, but when she decides a case, she decides it based on the law, as that's appropriate."



Sonia Sotomayor: More Coverage And Analysis





Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by antoniof123 May 28, 2009 1:04 PM EDT
Rush Limbaugh went so far as to call Sotomayor a "reverse racist"

Coming for Rush this is about as moronic as it comes this man is the bigest racist and biggot I have ever seen.

Looks like the Repubicans made a wise chose in choosing him as their leader.

LOL.....
Reply to this comment
by dbaecht May 27, 2009 10:44 PM EDT
What i find funny is, the republicans and right wingers all talk about how bad, liberals are. I have news for them if it wasn't for a bunch of liberal thinking founding fathers, we would still be a english colony.
The Constititution, Declaration of Independance and the Bill of Rights arer about as liberal a set of documents as you will fins anywhere. Think about it, "For the people, of the people, by the people" liberal concept, "all men are created equal" liberal concept", freedom of religion", liberal, you get the idea.
Reply to this comment
by actornaught May 27, 2009 12:28 PM EDT
Posted by dragoneagle1 at 7:01 AM : May 27, 2009

rush is sounding more desperate lately. Everybody he backed for the election last year lost. And now he's doing the "Say It Uglier" strategy that he's been selling to the 'pubs.

And still more swing voters decide to never vote republican again.

I like the part where you can tell the 'cons how they're screwingg up, and they still won't get it...
Reply to this comment
by mattcat25 May 27, 2009 11:21 AM EDT
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
UperDown!
Reply to this comment
by onesword May 27, 2009 11:16 AM EDT
Why is becoming a habit that the Republicans hear or know things before the other parties or anyone for that matter? Are they adding a little yeast into their "suppose to happen" or "would happen" or "did happen" stories?
Reply to this comment
by tokyo2nite May 27, 2009 10:21 AM EDT
gdw666: " A purist who has had 3 (of the 6 cases taken to the Supreme Court) reversed."

Gee, gdw, it sure sounds scary. Tell me just what it means, and exactly what those three cases were, and why and under what circumstances they were reversed, why that's bad, and what the same ratio of similar reversals is for other appeals judges. Admit it: you're just repeating meaningless tripe you heard on Rush.
Reply to this comment
by dragoneagle1 May 27, 2009 10:01 AM EDT
Judge Sotomayor was a brilliant pick.
Rush Limbaugh is quickly becoming a "Non-Issue".
Reply to this comment
by gravyboat69 May 27, 2009 9:54 AM EDT
Was very dissapointed with the fire fighter case as well as her laughing about the appeals court does make law. in my opinion or understanding the courts are to be blind and weighing the case based on laws. period.... not based on personal feelings, background, experiences. i dont want a personal opinion, i want someone that will read and enforce law.
Posted by wtcmedic911

Please explain to all of us the case involving the firemen.
Reply to this comment
by hwy71so May 27, 2009 9:48 AM EDT
"""That's an absurd notion," Mason said "Judge Sotomayor is one of the most egalitarian people I have ever met. She treats people equally, no matter their background or ethnicity. """

Then explain the deal about the firemen (including a latino man).

Or the comment where she said a latina woman is more qualified than a white man to judge law...
Reply to this comment
by wtcmedic911 May 27, 2009 9:23 AM EDT
Was very dissapointed with the fire fighter case as well as her laughing about the appeals court does make law. in my opinion or understanding the courts are to be blind and weighing the case based on laws. period.... not based on personal feelings, background, experiences. i dont want a personal opinion, i want someone that will read and enforce law.
Reply to this comment
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