WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today released the following statement in announcing his opposition to Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court:

“The Constitutional duty of ‘advice and consent’ given to the Senate is of great importance, particularly when considering a lifetime appointment to the nation’s highest court.  In reviewing Judge Sotomayor’s nomination, I have taken this obligation seriously.  After careful consideration of her record and judicial philosophy, I have concluded I will vote against her nomination.

“In refusing to confirm that the Second Amendment is a fundamental right that applies to all 50 states – and thus, all Americans – Judge Sotomayor shows an alarming hostility toward law-abiding gun owners across the country.  This is a view that is certainly out of the mainstream in Mississippi, and I believe across the rest of the nation.

“I am also troubled by what I see as Judge Sotomayor’s aversion to impartiality.  She appears to believe in a legal system where decisions are based upon personal experiences and group preferences, not the letter of the law.  Her record is that of someone who sees the courtroom as a place to legislate and make policy.  This kind of judicial activism has no place in any court, particularly the Supreme Court. 
 
“I have great respect for Judge Sotomayor’s life story and professional accomplishments.  However, this appreciation does not change or hide the flaws in her record and judicial philosophy.”