The Eyes of the Law: Justice Sotomayor at Trader Joe's

When Justice Sonia Sotomayor needs to stock up on her beloved rice, beans and pork, where does she go? One might peg the Supreme Court’s newest member — a liberal, a lawyer, a Greenwich Village resident — as a typical Whole Foods customer.
But perhaps Justice Sotomayor, in a show of support to the president who appointed her to the Supreme Court, is participating in the Whole Foods boycott? Her Honor was spotted shopping for groceries last Thursday at Whole Foods archrival Trader Joe’s, in the Foggy Bottom section of Washington, DC.
The Sotomayor sighting was noted briefly in the Washington Post. But an ATL tipster, who actually met and chatted with Justice Sotomayor at Trader Joe’s, has more details.


Our source saw Justice Sotomayor last Thursday, between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m., at the Trader Joe’s in Foggy Bottom. Local grocery shopping — is this a sign that she’ll be spending more time in the nation’s capital than her predecessor, Justice David Souter, who was famously not a fan of Washington?
Was Justice Sotomayor with an entourage — perhaps some Supreme Court police officers? Or perhaps her new clerks, doing some shopping before having them over for dinner (as she was known to do for her Second Circuit clerks)?
No; Justice Sotomayor was unaccompanied, according to our tipster:

She was by herself! Surprisingly very few people recognized her, but she was very friendly and gracious to those who did. She apologetically said she could not give autographs or take pics (not sure if this is because of policy or just because she didn’t want to).

And what was in her grocery basket? Does Trader Joe’s sell pig intestines? Says our source:

I’m not sure exactly what she was buying — I wasn’t focused on that! But it looked like maybe some fish, veggies, a few sauces — all healthy stuff.

Watch out, conservatives. Justice Sotomayor plans on living — and serving on the Court — until a ripe old age.
So Lady Soto was seen in Foggy Bottom. Does that mean she’ll be settling down in that neighborhood? Not necessarily:

I chatted her up briefly, and she said she was staying with a friend while looking for a place, so she’s not permanently living in that neighborhood — at least not yet.

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“Staying with a friend”? Heaven forfend!
Justice Sotomayor, aka Sonia from the Block, has always cast herself as a woman of the people. But couch surfing, as a Supreme Court justice? That may be taking things too far.
Update: In response to some of your comments — no, we are not seriously suggesting that Justice Sotomayor is boycotting Whole Foods.
No word yet on whether Justice Sotomayor will be participating in a Puerto Rico Westlaw boycott.
NAMES & FACES [Washington Post]

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