Open Letter From Latinos on Sotomayor

I am thrilled the President has chosen Judge Sotomayor to be the first Latina, and only the third woman, to serve on the nation’s highest court.In line with MALDEF's longstanding tradition of civil rights and advocacy before our nation’s highest court, we have launchedwww.SotomayorForJustice.com to invite the public to learn more about Sotomayor’s distinguished career and her commitment to justice.

As the law firm for the Latino community, not only are we committed to supporting Judge Sotomayor through the confirmation process, MALDEF is also uniquely positioned to provide our legal analysis, respond to attacks on her qualifications and advocate on her behalf through the Senate hearings and confirmation process.

We cannot do this alone and will look to you for support in this endeavor. To this end, we urge you to join with us and our friends at National Council of La Raza (NCLR) to demand CNN denounce former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo’s remarks during a recent interview where he called her a “racist” and a member of a group called “la raza,” which he described as “a Latino KKK without the hoods or the nooses.”

MALDEF is proud to support this historic nomination of a nominee who brings the most extensive federal court experience seen on the Supreme Court in decades. Her ascent from humble beginnings in the Bronx to professional success through hard work and the support of her family is not only what the American Dream is all about but a familiar story to many hard-working Latino families who strive to make a better life for themselves and their children in this great nation.

Demand CNN to refrain from providing a forum for pundits like Tom Tancredo who consistently disparage the Hispanic community.

With statements like that from Tancredo, we can expect to have a fight on our hands. You can be assured, however, that MALDEF will play a leadership role in supporting her nomination and garnering the community support she needs to get through the confirmation process.

Thank you,