Sotomayor confronts GOP skeptics, says she’ll pursue ‘impartial justice’ if confirmed to court

WASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Supreme Court nominee in history, vowed loyalty to “the impartiality of our justice system” Monday, confronting Republican skeptics at Senate hearings suffused with racial politics but all but certain to lead to her confirmation.

Analysis: Republican Party uses Sotomayor hearings to define itself but treads carefully

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans came to praise Sonia Sotomayor, but not necessarily to vote for her.

Puerto Ricans follow Sotomayor hearings; ‘Nuyorican’s’ nomination a source of pride

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Ricans tuned in to Sonia Sotomayor’s Senate confirmation hearings on Monday to cheer on the judge with local roots whose nomination to the Supreme Court has boosted pride across the island.

Liberals, conservatives battle over firefighter Ricci and his case at Sotomayor hearing

WASHINGTON — Firefighter Frank Ricci, scheduled to testify about Sonia Sotomayor’s ruling against his reverse discrimination lawsuit, was targeted for criticism Monday by powerful liberal groups who support her confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Text of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s opening statement

Text of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, as delivered.

Sotomayor says ‘impartial justice’ will trump any narrow cause if she’s confirmed as justice

WASHINGTON — Her confirmation all but assured, Sonia Sotomayor pledged Monday to serve the “larger interest of impartial justice” rather than any narrow cause if she becomes the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court.

Officials: Panetta canceled CIA effort to find, kill al-Qaida leaders up close

WASHINGTON — A secret intelligence program canceled by CIA Director Leon Panetta in June was meant to find and then capture or kill al-Qaida leaders at close range rather than target them with air strikes that risked civilian casualties, government officials with knowledge of the operation said Monday.

Sen. Graham tells Sotomayor she’ll be confirmed barring a ‘complete meltdown’

WASHINGTON — A Senate Judiciary Committee Republican has told Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor she’ll be confirmed “unless you have a complete meltdown.”

GOP Senator Graham predicts Sotomayor Supreme Court confirmation ‘barring meltdown’

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats praised Sonia Sotomayor as a Hispanic pioneer well qualified for the Supreme Court on Monday, but Republicans questioned her impartiality and President Barack Obama’s views as well at the start of confirmation hearings.

Some comments from the Sotomayor confirmation hearing

Some excerpts from comments during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

For Sonia Sotomayor, preparing for confirmation hearings is an endurance test in itself

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has endured weeks of insults, obnoxious questions and unwelcome drilling into her work as a judge and a lawyer — and it was all on purpose, essentially a dress rehearsal for her confirmation hearings.

NRA raises ‘very serious concerns’ on Sotomayor but stops short of opposing her

WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association says it has very serious concerns about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor based on her rulings on weapons rights.

Civil rights group Sotomayor advised sued in case similar to firefighters’ job test dispute

WASHINGTON — A civil rights group on whose board Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor served filed racial bias lawsuits over employment examinations that resemble a Connecticut case in which she ruled against white firefighters, documents released by the Senate show.

Senate GOP asks whether Sotomayor would uphold Constitution on bearing arms, equal protection

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are questioning whether Judge Sonia Sotomayor could be counted upon to uphold the Constitution on the Supreme Court.

Leading GOP senator brand Attorney General Holder as too soft in fighting terrorists

WASHINGTON — The senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee says Attorney General Eric Holder is too soft on terrorism.

Sotomayor often spoke about influence of her gender and Latina heritage on her judicial work

WASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor told the Senate on Thursday that the White House never questioned her about cases or issues she might have to decide as a Supreme Court justice, a disclosure gleaned from reams of documents that reveal she has spoken repeatedly about how her gender and Latina heritage affect her judging.

New NFL union head, Ravens’ player meet with lawmakers to build support for preventing lockout

WASHINGTON — The new head of the NFL players union and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth met with key players on another field Thursday — Congress — to build support on Capitol Hill for preventing an owners’ lockout.

White House gives Senate panel documents on Sotomayor’s speeches, writings, nomination

WASHINGTON — The White House delivered a huge portfolio of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s writings, speeches and rulings to Capitol Hill Wednesday, with details about the federal judge that will shape the debate over seating her on the court.

Souter retirement plans to kick review, nomination process into gear at White House, Capitol

WASHINGTON — Now that Justice David Souter has helped solve the mystery of whether anyone would retire from the Supreme Court this year, what’s next? How will the executive and legislative branches of government set about filling a vacancy on the nation’s highest court?

Obama’s choice for appeals court faces tough questioning from Democratic senator

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s choice for a federal appeals court judge came in for rough questioning Wednesday by a Democratic senator over the judge’s former affiliation with an advocacy group.

Obama, Biden, give warm welcome to Specter at White House, says he will be asset to party

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed Arlen Specter’s conversion to the Democratic Party, while Specter vowed that he’ll be an asset as Obama tries to get his ambitious agenda through Congress.

Sen. Specter switches to a Democrat, pushing party near 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority

WASHINGTON — Veteran Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switched parties Tuesday with a suddenness that seemed to stun the Senate, a moderate’s defection that pushed Democrats to within a vote of the 60 needed to overcome filibusters and enact President Barack Obama’s top legislative priorities.