Reid, Leahy fire back on Sotomayor schedule

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) immediately fired back at GOP critics of the confirmation schedule for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on the Senate floor, saying that Republicans were being disingenuous in their criticism of the schedule.

Leahy said GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking committee member, was well aware that the July 13 date was likely, and Reid said the schedule is “identical” to that followed for Chief Justice John Roberts.

Delaying the final Senate vote until September, Reid said, would be “overly generous.”

Leahy earlier Tuesday announced committee hearings will start on July 13 and a final Senate vote will be on Aug. 6.

– J. Taylor Rushing