Posted on 06/30/2010 12:39:57 PM PDT by jeffq73
“We are deeply concerned about Elena Kagan’s conflicting testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee,” said Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life. “There are serious discrepancies between her statements to Senator Hatch and the documented evidence of her actions in December 1996.”
WHAT WE KNOW
During Elena Kagan’s service in the Clinton White House, she urged the President to oppose any meaningful restrictions on partial-birth abortion. As part of this effort, our attorneys have learned that Kagan worked to change the positions of two major medical groups – the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Medical Association (AMA).
Kagan’s response to questions from Senator Orrin Hatch earlier this afternoon that she was simply trying to ensure that ACOG’s full view on partial-birth abortion was made public raises serious discrepancies when contrasted with the timing of her December 1996 amendment, which ACOG adopted in their January 1997 policy statement on partial-birth abortion.
ACOG’s statement initially gave no indication that they thought partial-birth abortion “may be the best or the most appropriate procedure…to save the life or preserve the health of the woman.” However, after Kagan advocated for the above language, ACOG added her view to their final statement.
WHAT KAGAN TOLD THE AMA
Kagan’s lobbying for changes to medical associations’ positions while in the White House is further evidenced by an email found in her White House documents, where Kagan clearly tried to change the position of another medical group, the American Medical Association (AMA):
When discussing whether the AMA could reverse its policy that there is not an identified situation in which partial-birth abortion is the only appropriate method of abortion, ethical concerns surround it, and that it should not be used unless it is absolutely necessary, Kagan stated: “We agreed to do a bit of thinking about whether we (in truth, HHS) could contribute to that effort [convincing the AMA to reverse their policy]. Chuck and I are meeting with the AG on Tuesday; Donna offered to send over some doctors this week (though we don’t know who or when) to give a medical briefing.”
In other words, Kagan was so opposed to the passage of a ban on partial-birth abortion, she hoped that ACOG and the AMA would suppress or modify their views and aggressively worked to make that happen.
Senators need to ask Kagan why she thought it was appropriate to interfere in the positions of medical organizations. Further, does the lack of any evidence of harm to a woman’s health because of the unavailability of partial-birth abortion for the past three years affect her perspective on the issue? Does Kagan still believe that partial-birth abortion is necessary to protect a woman’s health? If so, what is her factual basis to support this?
!
A dozen or so GOP Senators are going to roll over and vote to confirm Kagan to the SCOTUS.
She literally changed the wording of a statement from doctors to the government. It’s called fraud.
They are disgusting. They KNOW that this woman has absolutely no intention of ever upholding the Constitution and they will vote for her anyway.
I'm fairly certain the spineless Republican leadership will vote to confirm although they had showed signs of growing a pair during the health care debacle.
Get this information to the Republican Senators who are questioning.
any GOP senator that votes for this bull dyke needs to be voted out. period.
Reads like she twisted the doctors’ arms. They were politically in bed with her anyhow.
If the roles were reversed and an appointee wanted to uphold the constitution you can bet they would filibuster!!
makes no difference, GOP is cowering under the desk afraid of being branded the PARTY OF NO, and how that will affect elections in Nov. It appears so hopeless on certain days that it is hard to be optimistic - WE NEED LEADERSHIP WITH A PAIR AND NOT AFRAID OF SHOWING THEM!!!!!!!!!
The list, ping
I sent this story to Senator Sessions this morning. I heard Rush discuss it today. I am not getting any warm fuzzies that this will make any difference. We will have to wait and see if anything new comes up in the hearings.
absolutely.
They have to ensure they get invites to the next big cocktail party in DC.
A bunch of worthless, spineless, good for nothing RINOs!
They have to ensure they get invites to the next big cocktail party in DC.
A bunch of worthless, spineless, good for nothing RINOs!
I am shocked, SHOCKED, that Kagan is munching carpets!
CBS retracted the story of her public lesbianism under threat from the Whitehouse.
Kagan’s carpet munching is a purely In-The-Closet affair.
How dare you, sir!
orin hatch has sworn that she will pass without a problem... where are you Utah?
LLS
It's critical to gain enough seats in the Senate this year so that we aren't constantly hamstrung by this handful of RINOs.
In other words: Don't ask. Don't tell.
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