Posted on 09/15/2005 6:33:45 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Now that President Bush has named appeals court Judge John Roberts to replace pro-life Chief Justice William Rehnquist, he must pull another name of out his hat to sit on the Supreme Court. Speculation in Washington is that Bush will name a woman or a minority -- or both -- to take the seat of outgoing pro-abortion Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
To the delight of pro-life advocates, the names of several pro-life women top the list of likely choices.
In a syndicated column on Monday, pro-life columnist Bob Novak reports that Judge Priscilla Owen, a pro-life advocate who sits on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, is Bush's stop prospect. Novak says Owen had a hush-hush meeting with the president last week.
As a former member of the Texas Supreme Court, Owen pleased pro-life advocates when she ruled against allowing teenagers to use the bypass provision of the state's parental involvement on abortion law. She said the teens were not mature enough to have the abortions and that the abortions were not in their best interest.
When Bush appointed Owen to the appellate court, she was one of several pro-life nominees that became victims of filibusters by Senate Democrats over abortion. Eventually, a group of 14 Democrats and Republicans struck a compromise to allow votes on the nominees in exchange for not changing Senate rules on stopping filibusters.
The Senate eventually approved Owen on a 55 to 43 vote with abortion advocates opposing her.
Novak writes that appeals court Judge Edith Clement of the 5th Circuit "was the runner-up to Roberts in the first selection process, but the word in legal circles is that she did not do well in her interview with the president and now is out of the picture."
Clement is described as a conservative jurist in the mold of Clarence Thomas or Antonin Scalia, that Bush favors. However, she does not have a long list of opinions on which abortion advocates could criticize.
Novak says pro-life Judge Edith Jones, also of the 5th Circuit, is another possibility as is Judge Karen Williams of the 4th Circuit, considered one of the most conservative of the women judges.
When the 5th Circuit denied a request last October by Norma McCorvey to approve her motion to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling, Judge Jones issued an opinion blasting the Supreme Court's opinion in Roe and saying it needs to be re-examined.
She called Roe an "exercise of raw judicial power," and cited evidence McCorvey presented showing abortions hurt women. Jones, a Reagan nominee, wrote that the "[Supreme] Court's rulings have rendered basic abortion policy beyond the power of our legislative bodies."
If Bush chooses to go with a minority who is not a woman, speculation is that Judge Emilio Garza is at the top of the list.
Garza is a federal appeals court judge on the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Garza's opposition to abortion is beyond question. He wrote two separate opinions explicitly criticizing Roe v. Wade and suggesting it be overturned.
I could care less if a judge is "pro-life," I want a pro-states' rights judge.
No mention of my candidate: Janice Rogers Brown.
But the others sound excellent as well. I know that Priscilla Owen & Edith Jones would be awesome. I've never heard of Karen Williams, but if she's the most conservative, she'd be excellent.
I want a judge that carries a big axe; for the sake of chopping the Federal Govt. back down to size.
I always get a flame or two when I post this link (It's the "feminist" part that alarms many FReepers) but I'm going to post it anyway: http://www.feministsforlife.org . Judge Roberts wife has served on the FFL board. I know that every FFL board member I've known, myself included, is a solid Republican. (Ann Coulter should take comfort in this fact, re Judge Roberts.)
Roberts was on some pundits' long lists, but I don't think he was ever listed as among the most likely. He was something of a surprise.
She's mine, too.
Her verbal skills will make Biden cry.
I'm begging to see that.
I agree completely.
As much as I would like to have some of the already-suggested people appointed, I wonder if GW doesn't have some surprise "trick up his sleeve."
Is there anyone who wants another repeat of the bloodthirsty Thomas or Bork hearings?
Talk about throwing red meat to hungry wolves (the Dems).
It's been eleven years or so since I went to an FFL board meeting, but I wouldn't have described them then as solid Republican. I still give the organization money but I think they are morally conservative (and rather shy about it) but politically liberal - all carrot and no stick. A society just won't work that way - it's against human nature.
Feminists for Life--one of my all-time favorite groups, right up there with Second Amendment Sisters. ;)
It's fun to turn the tables on the opposition once in a while. :)
Getting an outspokenly pro-Life Nominee through the Congressional gauntlet into the Supreme Court to fill O'Connor's seat will be like getting butter out of a wildcat's rump with a red-hot poker.
RINOS who might grudgingly accept Roberts will, I predict, turn on us in a heartbeat if that ever happens.
Count on a fillibuster, and the "Gang of 14" voting against cloture.
Borking has worked for the Commiocraps in the past - so why should they ever give up on it?
aka a pro-Constitution judge.....
Life, liberty, etc., isn't it?
Yeah, but didn't the Dems controls the action then?
I mean, now that the Pubs control the Senate, the House, and the committee chairs, they hold the upper hand now, and all of this Democratic gnashing of teeth is just PR.
Unless they filibuster, they won't prevail, and if they do, it's very likely that they would be nuked.
My point exactly. Unfortunately sheeple have framed this issue as "pro-choice" and "pro-life"
Born 1951 in Orangeburg, SC
Federal Judicial Service:
U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Nominated by George H.W. Bush on January 27, 1992, to a seat vacated by Robert Foster Chapman; Confirmed by the Senate on February 27, 1992, and received commission on March 2, 1992.
Education:
Columbia College, B.A., 1972
University of South Carolina Law Center, J.D., 1980
Professional Career:
Private practice, Orangeburg, South Carolina, 1980-1992
Race or Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
OOps 19 is Karren Williams.
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