Washington: The Senate Judiciary Committee put off its vote on Tuesday on US Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor for one week amid objections from the panel's conservative Republicans, even as the judge's support among party moderates continued to grow.
Sen Patrick Leahy, a Democrat and the Judiciary chairman,
said his panel would vote on Sotomayor's nomination on July 28
and expressed confidence she would win confirmation as the
first Hispanic Justice by a bipartisan vote of the full Senate
in time for the Supreme Court's earlier-than-usual first
meeting Sept 9.
His prediction came as Sen Susan Collins became the
latest Republican to publicly commit to voting for President
Barack Obama's first high court pick. She will replace
retiring Justice David Souter, a member of the court's liberal
wing.
"I know that I will not agree with every decision Justice
Sotomayor reaches on the court, just as I disagree with some
of her previous decisions," Collins said in a statement.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 23:59