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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Sotomayor Has Completed All Requested Meetings

Updated at 2:30 p.m. on July 2.

Sonia Sotomayor has concluded all her requested meetings with senators so far, according to the White House and the Senate Judiciary Committee. She has had a total of 88 meetings, a White House spokesperson said.

NationalJournal.com has confirmed -- by way of official press releases and news reports -- that all Democrats (except for ailing Sens. Robert Byrd, D-W.V., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and incoming Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.) and all but nine Republicans have met with her. Since Franken has been told that his committee assignments will include the Judiciary Committee, he will likely meet with Sotomayor soon.

A White House spokesperson said Sotomayor will continue to meet with senators up until the confirmation vote, if they request a meeting. The nine Republicans who apparently have not met with the nominee are:

John McCain, Arizona
John Ensign, Nevada
John Barrasso, Wyoming
Richard Burr, North Carolina
Michael Enzi, Wyoming
Christopher (Kit) Bond, Missouri
Richard Lugar, Indiana
Pat Roberts, Kansas (who announced he'll vote against her)
James Inhofe, Oklahoma (who refused to meet with her and also said he'd vote no.)

The other Republican senator who has announced he'll vote against Sotomayor is Sam Brownback of Kansas, who did meet with her.

NationalJournal.com reached out to each of the nine Republicans' offices for confirmation that they have not requested a meeting, and at time of publication we have heard back from only three.

A McCain spokesperson said in an e-mail that the senator "is more than happy to meet with Judge Sotomayor at any time -- a meeting has not been requested." The White House has said, though, that it's up to the senator, not the nominee, to request a meeting. A spokesperson for Lugar confirmed the senator has not met with Sotomayor and said he is waiting until the hearings to decide how he will vote. Ensign "wants to meet with her and plans to do so," his office said Wednesday, and hopes "to have it scheduled soon."

CORRECTION: Sotomayor will meet with senators up until the confirmation vote. The original version of this report had an earlier cutoff.

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