White House: "Little Political Significance" To Ricci Decision

The White House insisted on Monday that the political dynamics behind Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination had not changed with the Supreme Court's decision to reverse her earlier ruling on Ricci v. DeStefano.

"There is little political significance to whatever the court decided today in regard to Judge Sotomayor," said Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, when asked if the decision would make it tougher for Sotomayor to be confirmed by the Senate.

Earlier in the day the court held that the city of New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam for its firefighters because none of the individuals who passed were Black or Hispanic. The decision was a rebuke, of sorts, to Sotomayor, who -- citing earlier decisions by the Second District Court of Appeals -- argued that the city was within its rights to toss away the exam. But Gibbs said the White House was not troubled by the decision, arguing that, if anything, it showed her commitment to judicial precedence.

"I haven't talked to [the president] specifically about it," he said. "Though I think one thing that is clear is that the ruling by Judge Sotomayor was based on the precedent of the second circuit and the precedents that they considered. The Supreme Court clearly had a new interpretation for Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Some of the very concerns that some of the members have expressed about judicial activism seem to be -- at the very least -- upside down in this case. Her ruling on the second circuit denotes that she is a follower of precedent."

The notion that Sotomayor, in this case, was the one upholding pre-existing law is something that her defenders pushed strongly after the Ricci decision was announced. And it prompted queries in the White House press corps as to whether Gibbs was accusing the Supreme Court of being activist in its decision to overturn Sotomayor and the Second District Court of Appeals' earlier decision.

Gibbs took the opportunity to press once more for Sotomayor to be seated before the new Supreme Court convened.

"I don't see that this is anything that would prevent her from a seat on the Supreme Court," he said. Noting that a case would now be decided on September 9, he added, "This underscores the importance of getting a new Supreme Court nominee."

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Comments

[rbchilds]

Considering the testing was based upon knowledge of the work to be performed, can someone please explain how the test can be racially disingenuous? There were 2 latino applicants whose test scores passed the mustard, are the courts to say their hard work means nothing because another group didn't pass? Back in the late 70's there was a case at UC Davis where an electrical engineer applied for MED school but was denied due to admittance scores being lowered for minority applicants. He, (I think his name was Bakke) sued in Federal Court and WON. Standards based on test scores should count as is, no lowering of standard for one group or raising for another, to do otherwise is racially disingenuous. In my military days if you wanted to get promoted you studied. He who received the highest scores got the promotion. Everyone should put skin color aside and ask themselves this basic question, Whom would you want administering public safety - He who got there by a studying hard or he who was jumped up the ladder due to skin color? That difference in knowledge can mean the difference between life and death.

[TJCole]

Is that what Dr. King would say..?

[LinkSync]

Imagine!
The 5 Pigs on the court overturned her consesus position on the matter?
Only shows us how much we need her on the Big Bench. and a few more like her too.

[Chloe33]

"Big Bench"? Any more like her should be in the Big House.

[johnr49]

What, Michigan Stadium?

[williamina]

weird

[Durango]

Is theAmerican Media deliberately stupid? Or just corrupt.

First off: being overturned y the 5 Neanderthals on the Court is a badge of honor. We need her more than ever.

second, all judges get overturned. All the time. And since it was a 5/4 decision being overturned is not that big a deal.

Certainly not when we get a majority on the court who know the law and the Constitution and use law and judgment rather than political ideology to make their decisions.

Yeah, I'm talking to you Roberts, Thomas, Scalia and Allito.

Political hacks is all you are.

[BannedNBoston]

Lets have europess opinion on guns influence our court desicions

[expired]

Dear MoveOn member,
The U.S. House passed a huge energy bill Friday. Lots of good people are applauding the passage of this legislation. But here's the ugly truth:

Big Oil and Coal lobbyists, working in cahoots with some conservative Blue Dog Democrats, weakened the bill terribly—it now falls far short of President Obama's campaign vision to transition America's economy to clean energy and create millions of new jobs.

In fact, the bill repeals a key part of the Clean Air Act and doesn't do nearly enough to shift America to renewable energy—so instead of a boom in solar and wind, the bill locks us into dirty coal power for another generation­.1

Working with progressive champions in the House, we were able to achieve modest gains at the eleventh hour (see details below). But saving the Clean Air Act and fixing other problems with the bill as the fight moves to the Senate will require a massive grassroots outcry.

So we have a decision to make: Should MoveOn launch a full-court press to fix the bill, and turn up the heat on senators who might be tempted to side with Big Oil and Coal?

Click to vote:

"Yes. Let's fight to save the Clean Air Act and fix the energy bill."
"No. I don't think we should do that." (And tell us why.)
We'll go forward if 2/3 of us who vote think it makes sense.

[steel71]

George Soros isn't happy about the bill passed?

[andyg]

The wise latina doesn't know amuch as some white people.

[Tommygun264]

She knows how to spell.

[DestinationsUnknown]

good grief

what were your last 10 solutions ofr our country's dire straits?

can you list them please- since you are so smart

[KarenT]

Well....sh­e followed the law and your activist judges overturned it.

[toppergem]

Today's decision by the Supreme Court will have no real impact on the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

[LinkSync]

Agreed, and thank Dog, excuse my diisplexia, I meant Dog, Damit GOD! I meant GOD!

[TruEngineHearing]

The GOP will block your sinuses, your driveway, and your view of the show. Republicans are basically intestinal blockages in suits, and no amount of fiber will fix it.

[LinkSync]

Lol
Well said.
But many Dems are corrupt pigs too and also need a good thump'n