Dean Johnson Comments on Sotomayor Nomination for Wall Street Journal
Dean Kevin R. Johnson commented on a speech given by Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor at UC Berkeley in 2001 for an article published in the Wall Street Journal June 4. Sotomayor's remarks have been seized upon by some commentators as evidence of "reverse racism" in the wake of her nomination to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter.
Dean Johnson told the Wall Street Journal that although he did not hear Sotomayor's 2001 speech, he did attend the conference where it was given and does not remember any controversy regarding her remarks. "There certainly was no anti-white-male discussion that I recall at that conference," he said.
Dean Johnson also authored a commentary on the controversy over Sotomayor's remarks that was published on FindLaw.com, arguing that the "complaints are misplaced."
In addition, he was one of dozens of Latino law professors from around the country to join Hispanics for a Fair Judiciary to help support Sotomayor's confirmation. "Judge Sotomayor is the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court in generations," Dean Johnson states in the organization's media release. "Having read decisions authored by Judge Sotomayor, I am convinced that her fair and restrained approach to the law will serve the nation well on our highest court."
Kevin R. Johnson is Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicana/o Studies at UC Davis School of Law. He is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of immigration law and policy, refugee law, and civil rights.