Sen. Al Franken, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, had the opportunity to question U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. On Wednesday, the third day of Sotomayor’s testimony, Franken asked about Perry Mason.
Under earlier questioning by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sotomayor had said that the Perry Mason TV show had inspired her decision to become a prosecutor, according to MinnPost.com’s Cynthia Dizikes.
“It was a great show,” Franken said, adding that it amazed him that she “wanted to become a prosecutor based on that show because the prosecutor… lost every week.”
Franken later asked which was the one case that [Perry Mason prosecutor] Burger won. When she didn’t know, Franken said: “Didn’t the White House prepare you?”
The White House later reported that the episode was the “Case of the Deadly Verdict.”
But, according to Perry Mason fan Web site, Mason actually lost three decisions: “The Case of the Deadly Verdict,” “The Case of the Witless Witness” and “The Case of the Terrified Typist.”
On Thursday, Franken asked “a much more general question, a good question for any job interview: Why do you want to be a Supreme Court Justice?”
“Given who I am, my love of the law, my sense of importance about the rule of law, how central it is to the function of our society, how it sets us apart form the rest of the world, has always fed a passion in me,” Sotomayor responded. “I can’t think of any greater service I can give to the country to be permitted the privilege of being a justice to the Supreme Court.”
Franken paused, then said, “I certainly intend to support your confirmation to the court.”
— AJW Staff Report
