Legal News

Judge Bork on Judge Sotomayor: The ?Wise Latina? Is Not Qualified.

By Amir Efrati

On Monday night, former Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork (pictured) did his best to “bork” Sonia Sotomayor on Campbell Brown’s CNN program. (Video here.)

In the three-minute interview, Judge Bork — he of the slip-n-fall lawsuit against Yale Club — said her “wise Latina” comment should disqualify her.

“I would say it should, except for the fact that we don’t disqualify other people for similar remarks,” Bork said. ” I don’t think what she said is consistent with the job of a judge. On the other hand, the woods are full of people out there who are making remarks which are not consistent with their role as judges.”

He then added: “But I don’t think the — that one remark, although she said it several times — I don’t think that will prove to be disqualifying nor do — nor do I think it should, unless we had — unless we’re enforcing stricter standards than we have been enforcing.”

When asked by Brown what he would have done differently before the senators at his confirmation hearing, he said: “…I think I could have been more intelligent in my approach and more aware of what was taking place. I kept responding to questions as if it was a rational discussion, which it wasn’t.”

What’s his advice for Sonia? “Don’t lose your temper. …[S]he’ll be confirmed if she — if she doesn’t, as was said, if she doesn’t meltdown,” he said. “There’s no reason why she should meltdown. And if she just maintains an even emotional temper, she’ll be confirmed easily.”

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on July 15, 2009 (boomark / email).