Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Thursday the high court is a prime example of how people who disagree can actually get along with one another and even have some fun together, saying she has particular respect for her colleague Justice Neil M. Gorsuch.
Though the two come from opposite sides of the ideological spectrum — one appointed by President Obama and the other by President Trump — they’ve decided to promote civic education together, teaching students how the government works.
Justice Sotomayor noted the two jurists sit side by side on the bench and enjoy ribbing each other.
“It is poking fun. It’s not criticism. It’s not anger. It’s just enjoyment of each other as people. He’s a lovely person,” Justice Sotomayor said.
The associate justice was speaking at the Law Library of Congress about her career, and recounted hearing one of her friends say she hoped her son never married a Republican.
“I looked at her and I said you can’t really mean that. That’s ridiculous,” Justice Sotomayor said. “There’s no fundamental difference in values between people.”
Being on opposite ends of the ideological spectrum hasn’t prevented justices from becoming close friends in the past.
Liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a staunch conservative, were known to attend operas with one another, travel and have dinner together on New Year’s Eve.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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