White House Pleased by Sotomayor Hearing Schedule
The White House on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the Senate Judiciary Committee decision to schedule a July 13 hearing for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.“The president is pleased that the Senate has set a hearing date of July 13,— White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said. “From nomination to hearing is about 48 days,— he said, noting that the span is comparable to the 51-day average for the past nine nominees. The date puts the Senate on track to confirm Sotomayor in time to seat her in September, when she can participate in reviewing cases that the court might consider in the fall, Gibbs added.Gibbs rejected GOP suggestions that, given the number of cases that she has been involved in, the hearing is being scheduled too soon.Gibbs noted that Sotomayor’s cases are publicly available and that she has been confirmed twice before.“There were suggestions that this hearing should take place after Labor Day,— Gibbs said. “That would actually be the longest time ever— between an announcement and a hearing, he said.