 Ranking Democratic committee member Patrick Leahy objected to Republican use of a secret hold to slow down the Sotomayor nomination , and Leahy attributed that anonymous tactic to GOP reticence about publicly opposing a female Hispanic nominee . The prior month , Leahy had triggered a procedural delay in the confirmation of fellow Second Circuit nominee Chester J. Straub — who , although advanced by Clinton and supported by Senator Moynihan , was considered much more acceptable by Republicans — in an unsuccessful effort to force earlier consideration of the Sotomayor confirmation . 
