Other gun rights activists,including more than a dozen NRA board members, came out stronglyagainst Sotomayor on Tuesday, writing to senators to urge them tooppose her confirmation.
Conservatives stepped up their criticism of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayoron Tuesday, but it was unclear how far Senate Republicans were willingto go to create bumps in what appears to be a smooth road toconfirmation for President Barack Obama’s first high-court choice.
Evenas the Senate’s top Republican suggested that Sotomayor let racial biascloud her rulings, he and other GOP senators refused to say whetherthey would accede to conservative activists’ demands to try to delay afinal vote to confirm her until September. At the same time, the National Rifle Associationraised what it called “very serious concerns” about Sotomayor based onher stance on weapons rights, yet it stopped short of opposing her,citing its “respect for the confirmation process.”
The NRA — influential with Republicans and some conservative Democrats — said senators should question Sotomayor on her views on the Second Amendment and curbs on the right to bear arms,and threatened to oppose her if her answers were “hostile or evasive.”In a letter to senators, Chris W. Cox, the group’s executive director,said Sotomayor had been “dismissive” of the Second Amendment,particularly in an appeals court ruling that held it only limits thefederal government — not states.
Meanwhile, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said Sotomayor’s federal appeals court ruling last year against white firefighters alleging reverse discrimination leaves the impression that she allows her agenda to affect her judgment and she favors certain groups.
Continue…