Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced from the Senate on Monday that the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin the confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor on Monday, July 13.

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Scheduling of the hearings has been a key sticking point between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. Democrats wanted a fast start to Sotomayor's official confirmation process, while Republicans said they needed more time, at least until September, to wade through the reams of information on her judicial and legal record. The July 13 date is a victory for Senate Democrats.

On the Senate floor, Leahy said, "I have talked and met with Senator Sessions, the committee's ranking member, several times to discuss the scheduling of this hearing. I will continue to consult with Senator Sessions to ensure that we hold a fair hearing . . .This is a reasonable schedule that is in line with past experience and that will allow several more weeks for committee members to prepare for the hearing."

Leahy said he initially wanted to begin the hearings on July 7 but agreed to delay the process for one week to allow Republicans more time to review Sotomayor's lengthy record. Leahy said the full Senate would begin debate on Sotomayor's nomination the first week in August, and would work to hold a vote before their scheduled Aug. 7 adjournment.

Leahy warned last week, and repeated today, that Republican attacks on Sotomayor as a "racist" only served to speed the process. "There is no reason to unduly delay consideration of this well-qualified nominee," he said. "Indeed, given the attacks on her character, there are compelling reasons to proceed even ahead of this schedule. She deserves the earliest opportunity to respond to those attacks."

For his part, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the committee's leading Republican, has argued that the attacks on Sotomayor have come not from Republican senators but from the chattering class of pundits and former Republican officials. Sessions had wanted the confirmation process to be allowed to go into September, but committed to finishing the process before the Supreme Court's opening day in early October.

After meeting with Sotomayor last week, Sessions said, "The Senate owes her a fair hearing. She will get a fair hearing."


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