Hatch Slams Obama at Sotomayor Hearings

Monday, July 13, 2009 11:40 AM

Sen. Orrin Hatch blasted President Barack Obama’s so-called ‘empathy standard’ Monday, noting at the start of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor that GOP candidates with compelling life stories were never given similar consideration by Democrats during their respective hearings.

Hatch, a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, dedicated his opening statements to these former GOP judicial nominees.

As a senator, Obama opposed the nomination of California Supreme Court Janice Rogers Brown and Washington attorney Miguel Estrada to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Hatch noted. Brown eventually was confirmed to the appeals court. Estrada pulled out of the process after firm Democratic opposition.

Brown, an African American, and Estrada, a Latino, also offered compelling life stories, similar to Sotomayor’s, Hatch said, according to remarks gathered by The Los Angeles Times. Hatch rejected the White House’s assertion that the committee should focus on Sotomayor’s judicial record, not her speeches.

Hatch also took Obama to task for the "no" vote he cast on then-Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito in 2006. Obama was one of 42 Democrats to oppose Alito.

“In fact, Sen. Obama never voted to confirm a Supreme Court justice,â€