Last week, we heard a strange story about the Supreme Court. NPR had exclusive reporting about how the SCOTUS vibes are bad. As in, the justices are not getting along at all, people are sniping at each other, everyone hates Neil Gorsuch, etc. One part of the NPR story made big headlines: apparently, Gorsuch is such a douchebag, he refused to wear a mask as the Omicron variant started raging through America. Reportedly, Chief Justice John Roberts asked all of the justices to keep their masks on for oral arguments – where they would be seated in close proximity to each other – and Gorsuch was the only one to refuse. Sonia Sotomayor is a diabetic, and after Gorsuch refused to be masked, she decided to telework for oral arguments, meaning she sits in her office with a phone/video linkup to the main courtroom.
After that NPR report, weird sh-t happened. Sotomayor and Gorsuch issued a “joint statement” denying that… Sotomayor asked him to wear a mask (which wasn’t the original reporting). Then Chief Justice Roberts also issued a curious denial about the mask issue too. Those denials said, to me, that the NPR story was probably exactly right. Well, Sotomayor has given a new interview and she seems to be talking around the fact that Gorsuch just flat-out refuses to wear a f–king mask.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is speaking out amid reports of mask-related tension between herself and fellow Justice Neil Gorsuch. While appearing virtually on Tamron Hall’s eponymous show Wednesday, the host asked Sotomayor, 67, about the “rare statement” she and Gorsuch, 54, released last week, denying that she had asked him to wear a face mask, amid her own ongoing decision to do so.
“Each individual has to make that choice for themselves, and I think that it’s important to remember that people feel differently about these issues, and you don’t have to engage in negative colloquy with friends or colleagues about the question,” said Sotomayor. “You can engage in conversation around it, and respect the choice that each person is making. And that’s the best, or the most, I can say about that situation with respect to my work environment. I’m choosing to be safe,” she added.
In her Wednesday interview with Hall, 51, Sotomayor said she feels “blessed” that she has a career “where I can [make] a choice to protect myself.”
“There are many, many people Tamron, [as] you know, that don’t have that alternative, who are forced to physically go into work,” the justice said. “I can, thankfully, work virtually, so I’ve made a choice for myself to do that, because it’s safer for me.”
Sotomayor describes herself as a “juvenile diabetic” who has had diabetes for “over 60 years,” but considers herself “very healthy,” which she credited to keeping vigilant.
“I stay that way because I pay attention to my health, the way I think most people should,” she explained. “So I, for myself, believe that I should be masked. When I’m not, others are — because here I am with you virtually, but I do have people in the room but they’re far away and they’re masked. I take as much care as I can,” Sotomayor added.
This makes me wonder if “That’s the best, or the most, I can say about that situation with respect to my work environment. I’m choosing to be safe” has multiple meanings. “I’m choosing to be safe” as in, I’m wearing a mask and that’s my choice and everyone can make their own masking choices. And “I’m choosing to be safe” because I’m the only woman of color in this dangerous environment and I’m making larger choices about what I say and do. I think Sonia Sotomayor is a smart cookie and she’s doing and saying what she needs to do to survive.
Today @tamronhallshow during my wide-ranging interview with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, I asked her about a recent report involving mask-wearing and one of her colleagues. pic.twitter.com/q5dbwj75Gq
— Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) January 27, 2022
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
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- -Washington, District of Columbia – 20210423-Supreme Court of the United States 2021 Group Photo Members of the Supreme Court pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on April 23, 2021. Seated from left: Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. -PICTURED: Justice Sonia Sotomayor -PHOTO by: Erin Schaff/POOL/CNP/startraksphoto.com -042321_Supreme-Court-Pool_018 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- -Washington, District of Columbia – 20210423-Supreme Court of the United States 2021 Group Photo Members of the Supreme Court pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on April 23, 2021. Seated from left: Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. -PICTURED: Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and Justice Amy Coney Barrett -PHOTO by: Erin Schaff/POOL/CNP/startraksphoto.com -042321_Supreme-Court-Pool_016 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- United States Supreme Court Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen G. Breyer arrive to listen to U.S. President Donald J. Trump address a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, February 28, 2017.,Image: 521107514, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Kleponis / Avalon
I despair over the horrible composition of SCOTUS thanks to Trump that will be ongoing past my lifetime. Even replacing Breyer just holds the line, which is underwater.
Gorsuch is a deplorable, f*cking a$$hole.
Word. This conversation should never have been necessary. Gorsuch knows his co-worker has a pre-existing condition, and SHE has to speak out, to defend his tiny man pride, when she is the one who could die. Christ on a Krispy Kreme, it’s no fucking wonder we are never getting out of this shit show.
“Each individual has to make that choice for themselves…”
—not if there’s a mask mandate. her attempts to legitimize this clearly illegitimate court are full of pathos.