President Obama will nominate Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, the White House announced today, marking the first time a Hispanic has been selected for the position.
Sotomayor, who will replace Justice David Souter if confirmed, was appointed to her current position by President Bill Clinton in 1997. One of her previously decided cases is before the Supreme Court now.
“As part of a panel, she voted to uphold New Haven’s decision to throw out a set of fire department promotion tests because no minority candidates made the top of the list. White firefighters who scored high but were denied promotion are appealing that ruling,” The New York Times reported.
University of Chicago Law School lecturer Diane Wood and former lecturer Elena Kagan, were both on Obama’s short list for the Court. Obama called them both last night to tell them of his decision.
