Justice Sotomayor issues apology over Kavanaugh comments

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a public apology to Justice Brett Kavanaugh after making what she described as “inappropriate” comments in response to his opinion in a decision that lifted restrictions on immigration stops. 

The apology comes a week after she made the criticisms, according to the Supreme Court Blog. Kavanaugh was not mentioned by name in either the initial comments or Sotomayor’s apology.  

What she said

The backstory:

The comments came during an appearance at the University of Kansas Law School on April 7. Sotomayor said Kavanaugh did not understand the actual impact of immigration officers stopping people who were U.S. citizens. 

Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion in the Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo case was that the stops were “typically brief” and the individuals may promptly go free. 

Sotomayor continued and implied that Kavanaugh had lived a sheltered or privileged life, and he was a “a man whose parents were professionals. And probably doesn’t really know any person who works by the hour.”

What they’re saying:

In a statement released by the court’s Public Information Officer, Sotomayor offered the apology. 

The apology

“At a recent appearance at the University of Kansas School of Law, I referred to a disagreement with one of my colleagues in a prior case, but I made remarks that were inappropriate. I regret my hurtful comments. I have apologized to my colleague.”

The other side:

Justice Kavanaugh has not publicly responded to Sotomayor’s remarks or her apology.