Sonya Sotomayer Awesome!

Finally something to get me off Facebook :) I thought you might not know much about President Obama's newest Supreme Court nominee, so I thought I would enlighten you with the emails I received overnight.

From MoveOn:

"Ten Things About Judge Sonia Sotomayor

1. Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the bench than any Supreme Court justice in 100 years. Over her three-decade career, she has served in a wide variety of legal roles, including as a prosecutor, litigator, and judge.

2. Judge Sotomayor is a trailblazer. She was the first Latina to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was the youngest member of the court when appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of New York. If confirmed, she will be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3. While on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has consistently protected the rights of working Americans, ruling in favor of health benefits and fair wages for workers in several cases.

4. Judge Sotomayor has shown strong support for First Amendment rights, including in cases of religious expression and the rights to assembly and free speech.

5. Judge Sotomayor has a strong record on civil rights cases, ruling for plaintiffs who had been discriminated against based on disability, sex and race.

6. Judge Sotomayor embodies the American dream. Born to Puerto Rican parents, she grew up in a South Bronx housing project and was raised from age nine by a single mother, excelling in school and working her way to graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University and to become an editor of the Law Journal at Yale Law School.

7. In 1995, Judge Sotomayor "saved baseball" when she stopped the owners from illegally changing their bargaining agreement with the players, thereby ending the longest professional sports walk-out in history.

8. Judge Sotomayor ruled in favor of the environment in a case of protecting aquatic life in the vicinity of power plants in 2007, a decision that was overturned by the Roberts Supreme Court.

9. In 1992, Judge Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate without opposition after being appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush.

10. Judge Sotomayor is a widely respected legal figure, having been described as "...an outstanding colleague with a keen legal mind," "highly qualified for any position in which wisdom, intelligence, collegiality and good character would be assets," and "a role model of aspiration, discipline, commitment, intellectual prowess and integrity."

Judge Sotomayor is an historic, uniquely qualified nominee to the Supreme Court. Let's get the word out and make sure we get a prompt, fair confirmation on her nomination."


From AlterNet

Sonia Sotomayor's Background Will Affect Her Judicial Decisions -- and That's a Good Thing

From Emily's List

"Not only did President Obama nominate a candidate with more federal judicial experience than any Supreme Court justice in 100 years, but he also chose a nominee with an astute understanding of the law's effects on Americans' lives. Judge Sotomayor was raised by her mother in housing projects of the Bronx; her American story and extensive legal career make her an exceptional candidate for the top court. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton and was editor of the Yale Law Review. In 1997, Judge Sotomayor was nominated by President Clinton to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where she currently serves.

Her compelling story and unique perspective will help ensure that women's rights are protected and that women's experiences are brought to bear in the highest court in the land. If confirmed by the Senate, Judge Sotomayor would make history as the first Hispanic, as well as the third woman, ever to sit on the court."




See a video of the White House press briefing from CNN here

For a comprehensive biography from the Associated Press go here