Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. sent a letter to the President of the United States Barack Obama to express his support for the possible nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Diaz Jr said, “As your presidency has so clearly established, the nation is ready to embrace a more diverse view of itself and its government stewards and better understands the importance of including women, people-of-color and persons from diverse economic backgrounds in the decision making process. Given the lack of Hispanic judges in the upper echelons of the federal judicial system, there has been no better time to nominate a supremely qualified, experienced and empathetic Hispanic woman to the U.S. Supreme Court. If nominated and confirmed as the next Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sotomayor will bring a legal and human perspective that will improve the Court for years to come.”

See letter attached:

Honorable Barack Obama
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing to respectfully urge you to nominate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court. At this crucial point in our history, the importance of nominating a person with the proper qualifications, dedication and judicial temperament cannot be overstated. Based on her long and distinguished career, I firmly believe you will not find a better nominee than Judge Sotomayor.

Over the last 30 years, Judge Sotomayor has proven herself to be an accomplished attorney and an excellent jurist who is dedicated to the rule of law and our constitutional values. A patriot of the highest order, Judge Sotomayor has worked tirelessly with the utmost of integrity to serve our country. As a U.S. District judge and a U.S. Court of Appeals judge, she has revealed herself to be an independent, moderate jurist without a political or activist agenda.

Moreover, Judge Sotomayor has a reputation as a judge who is committed to applying the law, as it is, fairly to all parties. Having grown up in the Bronx under trying circumstances, Judge Sotomayor has overcome many obstacles in her life through hard work and the support of her family and community. Her understanding of the everyday struggles of the poor and the striving is the foundation of her notions of legal fairness, an understanding sorely needed on the U.S. Supreme Court.

At this crucial point in our history, the importance of nominating a woman and a person of Hispanic heritage to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court also cannot be overstated. As your presidency has so clearly established, the nation is ready to embrace a more diverse view of itself and its government stewards and better understands the importance of including women, people-of-color and persons from diverse economic backgrounds in the decision making process. Given the lack of Hispanic judges in the upper echelons of the federal judicial system, there has been no better time to nominate a supremely qualified, experienced and empathetic Hispanic woman to the U.S. Supreme Court. If nominated and confirmed as the next Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sotomayor will bring a legal and human perspective that will improve the Court for years to come.

I also strongly urge you to nominate Judge Sotomayor for more parochial reasons. As the Bronx Borough President, I am always looking for another hero and role model for our young people. Thanks to your example, many of our young boys understand they can accomplish anything if they work hard enough. I believe that Judge Sotomayor – the kid from the Bronxdale housing projects (as a young man I frequented Bronxdale Houses), whose mother worked two jobs, who lost her father at an early age, but who worked hard and graduated from Cardinal Spellman High School, Princeton University and Yale Law School – would, as a Supreme Court Justice, serve as powerful a role model for our young girls, and young girls-of-color all over the nation, helping them to dream new dreams that propel them to new heights.

Thank you your consideration. God bless you.

Very respectfully yours,

Ruben Diaz, Jr.