NALEO Urges Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and Community Leaders to Speak Out in Favor of Judge Sotomayor's Confirmation

The U.S. Senate is about to vote on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and it is critical that our nation’s Latino leaders make their voices heard at this historic moment. The Senate vote is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, and there is still time to speak out in favor of her nomination.

TAKE ACTION NOW

It is important that members of the U.S. Senate and the public hear about your support for the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor, an exceptionally-qualified jurist who has more experience in the federal judiciary than any other person nominated to the Supreme Court in a hundred years. The Senate vote provides an opportunity for the nation’s Latino leadership to demonstrate the critical role Latinos play in America’s political and policy arena. If your Senators have stated that they will support the confirmation, contact them to let them know you appreciate their vote. If your Senators have announced that they will oppose the nomination (as is the case in such states as Arizona and Texas), contact them to let them know that you are extremely disappointed with their decision, and that your community will hold them accountable for their vote. You can find the phone number of your Senators on the Senate’s website.

You can also demonstrate your support for the Sotomayor confirmation by issuing a press release, writing a letter to your local newspaper, or by hosting a “watch party” on August 6. You can find NALEO’s press release endorsing Sotomayor on our website, and information about submitting a letter to the editor on the Sotomayor for Justice website.

TAKING POINTS

To assist in your calls and your advocacy, we have provided the following brief talking points:

• Judge Sotomayor is exceptionally qualified to serve on the Supreme Court, and her appointment will greatly enrich the administration of justice in our nation.

• Judge Sotomayor has excelled throughout her career
at almost every level of our judicial system – as a prosecutor, a corporate litigator, and a federal trial court and appellate judge.

• Judge Sotomayor has more experience in the federal judiciary than any other person nominated to the
Supreme Court in a hundred years.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

The confirmation of Judge Sotomayor is particularly important because it will enhance the diversity of the nation’s highest court, where no Latino has yet served. In order for our judicial system to carry out justice effectively and interpret our laws fairly, our judges must understand how laws affect the daily realities of the life of our nation’s diverse residents. Judge Sotomayor will bring a deep understanding of the issues facing Latinos and all Americans to the Supreme Court.

As a Latino elected or appointed official, or a community representative, you have a critical opportunity to demonstrate your leadership on this issue. By speaking out in favor of Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation, you can help make history for our community and our nation.

For further information about Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation and NALEO’s advocacy efforts, please do not hesitate to contact Rosalind Gold, at 213-747-7606, ext. 4420, or rgold@naleo.org.