Judge Sonia Sotomayor has been on the Hill today meeting with senators of both parties. One of the issues being negotiated somewhat publicly between Democratic and Republican senators is the timeframe for her confirmation hearing. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, said today after visiting with Sotomayor that the hearing should not happen before September — a much longer process under much simpler circumstances than for either John Roberts or Sam Alito.
Earlier, committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has said he would press forward more quickly with hearings if conservatives keep up their race-based attacks on Sotomayor.
