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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



The Sotomayor witness list

Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:08 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The Judiciary Committee has released the names of some of the witnesses for the the Sotomayor hearing starting Monday.

They include, for the Majority/Democrats: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Former Mets, Yankees Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher David Cone, former FBI director Louis Freeh, legendary New York prosecutor Robert Morgenthau.

And for the Minority/Republicans: Frank Ricci, the NH firefighter.

Here's the full list, released by Committee Chairman Pat Leahy:

American Bar Association Witnesses:
Kim Askew, Chair of Standing Committee
Mary Boies, Primary Reviewer

Majority Witnesses:
Michael Bloomberg, Mayor, City of New York
Chuck Canterbury, National President, Fraternal Order of Police
David Cone, former Major League Baseball pitcher
JoAnne A. Epps, Dean, Temple University Beasley School of Law, on behalf of the National Association of Women Lawyers
Louis Freeh, former Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Michael J. Garcia, former U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York
Wade Henderson, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Patricia Hynes, President, New York City Bar Association
Dustin McDaniel, Attorney General, State of Arkansas
Robert Morgenthau, District Attorney, New York County, New York
Ramona Romero, National President, Hispanic National Bar Association
Congressman Jose E. Serrano, New York 16th District
Theodore M. Shaw, Professor, Columbia Law School
Kate Stith, Lafayette S. Foster Professor of Law, Yale Law School
Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. 

Minority Witnesses:
Linda Chavez, President, Center for Equal Opportunity
Sandy Froman, Esq., Former President, National Rifle Association of America
Dr. Stephen Halbrook, Attorney
Tim Jeffries, Founder, P7 Enterprises
Peter Kirsanow, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
David Kopel, Esq., Independence Institute
John McGinnis, Professor, Northwestern University School of Law
Neomi Rao, Professor, George Mason University School of Law
Frank Ricci, Director of Fire Services, ConnectiCOSH (Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health)
David Rivkin, Esq., Partner, Baker Hostetler
Nick Rosenkranz, Professor, Georgetown University School of Law
Ilya Somin, Professor, George Mason University School of Law
Lieutenant Ben Vargas, New Haven Fire Department
Dr. Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life

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Comments

How about the other two judges who served with Judge Sotomayor on the Ricci decision?  
TO Obama is One and Done:  President Obama has done more in his first 6 months, then your do nothing Repbubs did in 8 years, but your too stupid and only listen to the Repub network, Fake News!!!!
sam

===================

Man, ain't that the truth. Obama has done more in 6 months then Bush ever did. More wrong things that is! That's the problem with one party rule, the crazies get to be in charge, and they ruin the country!

The list only has some of the witnesses?  Yikes, this will be more theatrical than the Uncle Thomas hearings.

...and just will Ricci say or add to the testimony?  Reverse racisim...whatever....I was wronged, first by my City, then the lower court.....  and What?

SNL should have fun with this one, just like they did with the Uncle Thomas Hearings.

Seat Sotomayor NOW!
Get ready to rumble; Right Wing Dings.
It is time to lay your lies and partisanship to shame.
"Get ready to rumble; Right Wing Dings.
It is time to lay your lies and partisanship to shame. "
--------------------------------------------
@ Bev in Chicago: if only you could recognize the irony in your statement.
Linda Chavez, President, Center for Equal Opportunity is a right wing hack who was rejected for Labor Secretary under George Bush

Couldn't the Republicans get Pee Wee Herman to testify ??

Sotomayor WIKK BE SEATED on the supreme Court
Open and shut case
Compare her academic record against Alito's record
They went ot the same school and Sotomayor graduated Summa Cum Laude
Alito didn't

We're gonna have some Sorry little Republicans when this is over
To:Tyrone Rule, NY (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:22 PM)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yo man, the "Crazies" have been in charge for the last 8 years!  Time to wake up!!!
I heard Barbara Boxer say earlier that Sotomayor should be treated the same way a male nominee would.

So I guess she would have no problem with Sotomayor being treated the way Bork was.  Or Estrada. Or Thomas.  
Michael Jackson on the witness list? If so, he's going to be a little late. And ripe.
The desperate GOP would pull Ricci out of their hats.

http://www.political-buzz.com
Can someone explain pitcher David Cone? Is he a friend?
This is for you, Domenico.  I am just astonished at how you decide what posts make it to the board and what posts don't.  Every day around here there are foul mouthed posts from Anita, mindless attack dog posts from Feisty, and slanderous lies from Eric that all get published.  But other material that is not characterized by any of those shortcomings doesn't make the cut.  I recognize that this is your playpen and you can run it any way you want.  But you might at least maintain the pretext of objectivity and consistent standards.  Because right now you have neither.
BTW, where's all the millions jobs Obama promised?
Feisty Brownhair


Oh they've been created. In China. In India. In Russia. See, Obama didn't say where the jobs would be created.
bloomberge is a good get it should go pretty smooth
Beverly, According to Factcheck, over 60% of Sotomayors cases brought berfore the Supremne Court have been overturned. This is clear evidence that she is Incompetent. No lies needed here. Her nonmination was a blatant attempt for Obama to payback the Hispanic vote. Nothing  more and nothing less. Another Obama fabrication that he is going to bring change to Washington yet you continue to blindly follow him.
David Cone is testifying?  The YANKEES David Cone?  He of the perfect game, 4 world series wins, current part-time broadcaster?  THAT David Cone?

Is he going to testify about her cut fastball?
She will be the worst judge in our history. Obama dropped the ball on this one.
ummm guys? David Cone is testifying because Sotomayer was an integral part of ending the baseball strike and Cone was also very active in ending the strike.

But hey no joe,no bo! It's nice to see you rattle off stats that are actually based in fact!

Oh and the fake Feisty posts are really mature. Do I smell an ugly little dog?
Beverly, According to Factcheck, over 60% of Sotomayors cases brought berfore the Supremne Court have been overturned. This is clear evidence that she is Incompetent. No lies needed here. Her nonmination was a blatant attempt for Obama to payback the Hispanic vote. Nothing  more and nothing less. Another Obama fabrication that he is going to bring change to Washington yet you continue to blindly follow him.

Mb, Valpo (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:07 PM)

You do realize of course that the Supreme Court routinely overturns more than 75% of all cases it hears?  A better figure to consider would be the total number of cases that she "decided" that were later overturned by the Supreme Court.

And that figure is about 2%.  
It is time to lay your lies and partisanship to shame.
Beverly in Chicago

All new polling would be showing that Sotomayor would be on the fast track decline.  She has shown all of America that she would not be up to the job and Obama better head back to the bullpen to start thinking about Plan B.  This will be just another nail in the democrats political coffin.
The pitcher David Cone is invited because Sotomayor has been credited with saving baseball.  I don't know the details of the case.
Can someone explain pitcher David Cone? Is he a friend?
Smith

Cone is the starting pitcher. Sotomayor will be playing 3rd base.
This is for you, Domenico.  I am just astonished at how you decide what posts make it to the board and what posts don't.  Every day around here there are foul mouthed posts from Anita, mindless attack dog posts from Feisty, and slanderous lies from Eric that all get published.  But other material that is not characterized by any of those shortcomings doesn't make the cut.  I recognize that this is your playpen and you can run it any way you want.  But you might at least maintain the pretext of objectivity and consistent standards.  Because right now you have neither.
Bill, Fairfax, VA (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:47 PM)
---------------------------------------------------
For Petes sake Bill - it's first come first serve. They only outlaw the ones that do not have appropriate language. However, on that note, doesn't any of the multiple bloggers work???  Like you Bill - I have seen quite a few of yours!
She will be the worst judge in our history. Obama dropped the ball on this one. - Feisty Redhead Roswell, IL
-------------------
Wouldn't the ability to be the 'worst judge in our history' be more achievable at the lower court level, where decisions are independent and/or at least made by smaller groups?
How to do you become the worst judge in history as a SCJ?  All of your judgements are in the context of 8 others opinions on the same topic.  If she is the worst in our country I would think she would already by the worst.  I don't see how becoming a SCJ would enable her to become the worst.

Just my thought.


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