Chairman: Senate panel to vote on Sotomayor for Supreme Court on Tuesday unless GOP delays

Democrats to set first Sotomayor vote next week

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman says he’ll set a vote in his panel next week on confirming Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy says the vote will be Tuesday unless committee Republicans object. Under the panel’s rules, the GOP can delay the vote for a week.

Leahy says a number of Republicans have told him they don’t want to hold up the vote, but adds that he won’t try to prevent them from doing so.

Democrats plan a final Senate vote to confirm Sotomayor in early August, to allow her to be seated on the court before a Sept. 9 hearing in a campaign finance case.