Justice Alito

The U.S. Senate voted today 58-42 to confirm Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Alabama Senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions both voted in favor of Alito's confirmation.

Senator Sessions, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who questioned Alito during his confirmation hearing, released the following statement after the vote:

“Samuel Alito is exactly the type of person that President Bush promised to nominate to the Supreme Court, and I am pleased that he was confirmed today by the United States Senate and sworn in as the nation’s 110th Supreme Court Justice. Justice Alito is the epitome of a restrained jurist, one whose decisions are based on the Constitution, and not what he wants the Constitution to say. Justice Alito had the highest possible rating by the American Bar Association, and his colleagues on the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously held him in the highest regard. Thus it was unfortunate that so many senators voted against the nomination. Justice Alito should have gotten a far higher tally, but the Democratic leader had made it a partisan issue and urged his colleagues to vote no. I think the American people will see through this, however, and know that we confirmed a man of the highest credentials, caliber and integrity.”

Senator Shelby also issued a statement in response to Alito's confirmation:

“I am proud to join so many of my colleagues in support of Justice Samuel Alito. Justice Alito’s education, legal training, and judicial experience make him a great choice for the high court. He is a fair and impartial jurist, and I am confident that he will be an excellent addition to the United States Supreme Court."