Posted on 11/05/2004 11:56:50 AM PST by Agitate
Senator Tells President Bush Not to Appoint Pro-Life Judges to Supreme Court
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 4, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Less than 24 hours after President Bush thanked the American people for supporting his re-election bid, a leading pro-abortion Senate Republican told the president not to send up nominations of judges who are pro-life on abortion.
Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter (R), fresh from his own re-election success Tuesday, is slated to be the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when Congress begins its next session in January.
Late Tuesday, Specter warned Bush against nominating strong pro-life advocates to succeed any retiring justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.
"When you talk about judges who would change the right of a woman to choose, overturn Roe v. Wade, I think that is unlikely," they would be approved, Specter told the Associated Press.
"The president is well aware of what happened, when a bunch of his nominees were sent up, with the filibuster," Specter said.
However pro-life groups and leading pro-life lawmakers in the Senate are encouraged by Tuesday's results -- which produced two new pro-life senators and additional votes for Bush's judicial nominees. That gives the president a better chance of stopping such filibusters.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist noted those changes when he told AP, "I'm very confident that now we've gone from 51 seats to 55 seats, we will be able to overturn this what has become customary filibuster of judicial nominees."
Specter's comments earned him a rebuke from one leading pro-life senator and may jeopardize his ability to become chairman of the judicial committee.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told the Associated Press, "We'll have to see where he stands," in reference to whether Specter will get the top post.
Cornyn indicated he would talk to Specter to determine whether the pro-abortion Republican will support the president.
Nikolas Nikas, general counsel for Americans United for Life, said Bush's strong election victory on Tuesday gives him a mandate to push forward with the kind of judges he appointed during his first term.
"President Bush won reelection with the key support of millions of Americans who respect the dignity of every human life," Nikas told LifeNews.com.
"I trust President Bush will use the same steely determination and fortitude he has shown on the war against terror to overcome any and all opposition to his promotion of judicial nominees who interpret the text of the Constitution rather than read into the Constitution their personal policy views," Nikas added.
Bush was credited with nominating several pro-life advocates to key federal appeals courts and the abortion advocacy group NARAL could find only a hint of support for abortion from two of the 200 judges Bush put forward.
Printed from: http://www.lifenews.com/nat925.html
Reduce the GOP Senate majority: Barring any unexpected, last-minute developments, the GOP will have a 55-44-1 majority in Congress' upper chamber. After President Bush and Vice President Cheney helped Pennsylvania's senior Senator Arlen Specter fend off a strong primary challenge from conservative Pat Toomey, Specter has decided to bite the hand that feeds him.
Specter, as presumptive chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, suggested that he would block any Bush nominee to the Supreme Court who opposed abortion rights. Reiterating his position that a woman's right to choose is "inviolate," he said overturning Roe v. Wade today would be akin to trying to reverse Brown v. Board of Education, the court's 1954 landmark desegregation decision.
Barring unforeseen GOP objections, Specter, 74, should assume the committee chairmanship in January. He also sent an unsubtle message to the White House that he expects nominees for the federal bench to be of the highest caliber, and took a critical swipe at the stature of the current court. [emphasis added]
Well, I think that the GOP should object. Specter can switch parties if he pleases -- we don't need him. Republicans can't accept a Pat Leahy-type obstructionist on the judiciary committee.
GOP chairman Bill Frist can be contacted at (202) 224-3344 or senator_frist@frist.senate.gov. Let him know how you feel about Sen. Specter.
Frist fax:
202 228-1264 (DC FAX)
615 352-9985 (NASHVILLE)
202-224-3344 (DC OFFICE)
We can't let Spector get away with this. Please call and/or write Senator Frist. If we should contact someone else as well, please post that information.
Please ping any appropriate lists, thank you!
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See also:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1271129/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1271211/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270529/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270632/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270185/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1271838/posts
Ping please
Please, answer to this question: given that we have 53 (i.e. 55-2) Conservative Republicans in Senate, is so difficult to find only 7 or 8 Conservative Democ-rats, to support a S. C. appointment? I hope that somebody could help us to find those names. Otherwise, it seems that the not-Republican Senate is made up by persons like Arlen Specter (a Republican but...), Ted Kennedy or Hillary Cliton! Blow me down. Thanks, in any case.
Specter's about to get steamrolled. He's going to get out of the way quickly.
Frist can't be seen as a weak sister out of the gate in quest for 2008. He knows there's a groundswell of support from conservative Catholics that played a big role in this election (not the only factor, but undebatably a big one). He should take note of the grassroots animosity towards Giuliani's wishy-washy version of Republican politics...
FREEPED my Senators. Go FREEPERS!
email Senator Frist http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutSenatorFrist.ContactFormAct
Seniority should NOT be the sole qualification for Senate committee chairmen.
Also, PA doesn't need a senator on Judiciary -- our Federal Court is not one of the wacko liberal Districts (though it is too liberal, it's not insanely liberal). PA needs Armed Services (Philly. Naval Yards, Mechanicsville supply depot), Interior (PA has nice forests with lots of good hunting, and rivers and streams with good fishing), Commerce and Transportation (most goods going from South and West to the East Coast go through PA).
By the way, Sean Hannity is going to address the Specter situation on his show today.
Same here.
Yes, it is that difficult.
Although with Daschle as a head on a spike, there may be a few weak kneed Dems who are staring 2006 down the throat and getting nervous.
If you want to join the nominations fight -- go to my website -- www.fairjudiciary.com. I'll keep you updated on who is saying/doing what to/for/against whom.
Thanks. Have circulated. Arlen Spector is as bad as that Vermont senator that switched parties and I can't remember his name. (I intentionally try not to remember bad people.)
I have been trying to locate all the thrads on this subject here and else where asking the folks to call the senators as well. Laura Ingraham said it would be poetic justice if we could Bork Spectre.....Afterall he was instrumental in "Borking" Judge Bork
Thanks for your answer and your link. Anyway we must find hook democrats of South States with us.
Ehhh there isn't another Zell Miller: what a great principled man...
Specter did not "warn" or insult the President. He answered a question about SCOTUS nominees and past opposition by rats. Read the transcript for yourself. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270750/posts?page=27#27
You are being manipulated by the Main Stream Media.
Specter was rated 21% by NARAL in 2003 and voted for the PBA ban and the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. Specter has voted to confirm all of Dubya's controversial pro-life picks including Mike Fisher. Dubya campaigned for Arlen, and Arlen used Dubya in his campaign lit. Dubya "really understands" what Specter is. I think Dubya, Cheney, and Santorum are smart men. Dubya, Cheney, Santorum, and the rest of the Republican Party could have supported Toomey, but they understood that in liberal PA you need a RINO to win. They all think they can work with Arlen.
Please let me know if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.
Let's keep the pressure on! I've already emailed Sen. Frist.
I hope local people will especially be sending emails to each Senator on that committee. They know local votes can remove them from office.
I just called both my Senators offices. My husband is going to email them. I'm from Virginia, and when I called Senator Warner's office the girl first had to put me on hold, then back on the phone said, "Is this about Senator Specter?" and I said "You better believe it." She laughed and said, "Well, I'll put you on the opposed list, I've got a lot of calls to answer" and she was GONE. I think Arlen is going down, down, down for the third time, I don't care how much back peddling he tries to do, or how many press releases he puts out now trying to cya. Forget it. We need to stick together on this, and call our state Senators AS WELL as Frist and keep the heat on to give our Senators confidence that we've got their backs and let them know we aren't taking no for an answer. And Arlen has got to go -- seniority or no seniority. This is a matter of principle. And that's what I told my other Senator -- Former Governor George Allen. Go FReepers! I'm off now to call Frist. Don't woos out on us Frist!
As I've said on the other threads about getting rid of Specter - it will be a BIG mistake to mount a campaign based on Pro-Life. What we should be fighting for are judges who will follow the constitution and uphold laws - NOT WRITE LAWS FROM THE BENCH. Don't narrow the focus to just one issue.
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