Hatch: Likes Sotomayor, but will question

WASHINGTON, June 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, says he likes Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor but still has tough questions for her.

The senior Republican met with Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's choice to replace the retiring Justice David Souter, Tuesday in Washington, and said afterward that while he likes her personally, and is impressed by her expertise, he will still subject her to rigorous questioning during her confirmation hearing, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

"I made it very clear I'll ask tough questions of her," Hatch told reporters. "That's to be expected and it would be to her good to have the tough questions come right upfront in the hearings. And I think she understands that."

Hatch added, "I have to say that she's a very impressive person; a great human story in her life. She has a good academic record, and we have to go through all of the cases and look this matter over (before deciding whether to support her and) I intend to do that in a fair and honorable way."