Norton Celebrated Unity in Strong Vote for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor with Hispanics
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Norton Celebrated Unity in Strong Vote for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor with Hispanics
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, perhaps the only member of Congress in town last evening, went to a gathering of Hispanics and others to celebrate the 68-31 confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, sponsored by the New Latino Movement. She told the crowd gathered at the Washington Court Hotel that the Senate confirmation of the first Hispanic to sit as a Justice of the Supreme Court made her proud to be an American. But, she told the largely Hispanic crowd that, "You get bonus points of pride for being Hispanic today." She said she also was proud to be a Democrat because every Democrat voted "yes." (Sen. Ted Kennedy was out ill.) Norton said that she was especially proud of the nine Republicans who also voted to confirm Judge Sotomayor because they were, "under enormous pressure to vote no."
The Congresswoman said even the National Rifle Association (NRA) appeared to pull back, indicating after scoring the vote, that it was not sure now of how much "weight" they were going to give this vote. The Congresswoman is in the midst of a fight against NRA attempts to eliminate all gun laws in the District by attaching a lethal gun amendment to a civil rights bill, the D.C. House Voting Rights Act. Norton quoted a leader of a far right Republican group, who warned Senators that there would "be a price to pay" for supporting Sotomayor. The Congresswoman said that she believes there is a price to be paid, but that that leader was pointing to the wrong group of Senators, who were likely to pay it.
Norton said, "Tonight is a night to salute the unity of our country emboldened by the strong vote for Sotomayor." She said that she hoped the Judge would forgive her for taking the liberty "just this one evening" of saluting the new Justice by the name on buttons worn by those at the celebration. Norton saluted, "Justice Sonia."
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