Stop Anti-Choice Judicial Appointments
No action is needed at this time on Bush's estremist, anti-choice nominees. Check back later for new developments. President Bush is playing politics with the Constitution and our rights in his blatant campaign to pack the federal judiciary with far-right ideologues. Below are some of the most aggregious nominees who must be stopped in the Senate. James Leo Holmes is nominated to the U.S. District Court. Holmes has compared pro-choice activists to Nazis and abortion to slavery. He argued that a rape exception to an abortion ban is unnecessary because "...concern for rape victims is a red herring because conceptions from rape occur with approximately the same frequency as snowfall in Miami." (Studies estimate that between 25,000 and 32,000 women each year become pregnant as a result of rape in the U.S.) Claude Allen is nominated to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Bush administration has selected yet another candidate with a clear, documented record of anti-choice actions and beliefs. On the state and federal levels and in the legal and political arenas, Allen has worked for two decades to restrict privacy and a woman’s right to choose. Carolyn Kuhl is nominated to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Kuhl has argued for the overturn of Roe v. Wade. She also supports parental notification for contraception. Priscilla Owen was re-nominated to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals after she was defeated last year. Owen's record clearly indicates that she would vote to restrict a woman's freedom of choice and undermine Roe v. Wade. UPDATE! In January and February of 2004, President Bush used a constitutional loophole allowing him to bypass Congress and give Pickering and Pryor recess appointments. Congress does not have the ability to review these appointments until January of 2005.
Charles Pickering was rejected by the Senate last year and has been re-nominated. He led the Republican Party to adopt an anti-choice plank to the party platform calling for a Constitutional ban abortion. Bill Pryor is nominated to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pryor has publicly stated that “abortion is murder” and “Roe v. Wade is an abominable decision.” VICTORY! -Nominee defeated!
Miguel Estrada simply refused to answer Senate Judiciary Committee questions regarding his views on Roe v. Wade. Estrada was nominated for the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. In September 2004 he told President Bush he was withdrawing his name from consideration. This is a great pro-choice victory! TAKE ACTION
Call Senators Dayton and Coleman. Tell them that these extreme nominees cannot be trusted to protect basic civil rights like the right to choose. Senator Mark Dayton - 202-224-3244 or 612-727-5220
Senator Norm Coleman - 202-224-5641 or 651-645-0323 >> Learn more about the Courts and Reproductive Rights
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