Pro-Abortion Senate Democrats Vote Down Bush Judicial Nominee
by Associated Press, Pro-Life Infonet
Washington, DC -- Pro-abortion Senate Democrats on Thursday voted down President Bush's latest attempt to fill federal appeals court seats with jurists who wil uphold pro-life legislation, rejecting a Texas Supreme Court judge criticized for her rulings in favor of Texas' parental notification law.

``The message is this: We will confirm qualified judges,'' said pro-abortion Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. ``Don't send us unqualified people.''

However, the vote was the first time the committee had ever rejected an appeals court choice who was rated unanimously ``well qualified'' by the American Bar Association.

President Bush said the Senate Judiciary Committee's 10-9 party-line vote against Priscilla Owen was ``shameful'' and her rejection was evidence of a ``pattern of obstruction'' on his nominations in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The vote against elevating Owen to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, ``is bad for the country, it's bad for our bench. I don't appreciate it one bit and neither do the American people,'' Bush said while traveling in Louisville, Ky.

In March, the committee voted 10-9 against putting pro-life U.S. District Judge Charles Pickering of Mississippi on the 5th Circuit, one of the 13 appeals courts that are one level below the Supreme Court. The 5th Circuit considers appeals in Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana, sometimes rules on pro-life legislation and may eventually hear cases deciding the fate of Choose Life license plates.

Bush, who telephoned Owen after the vote, told reporters: ``A handful of senators distorted her record. A handful of senators, acting out of pure politics, did not let this good woman's name go forward.''

Democrats promised to defeat more nominees they consider ideologues.

``I would hope that if there's any lesson in here for the White House, (it
is) that we have no objection to conservative Republicans, but ideologues are not going to make it,'' said pro-abortion Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

Pro-abortion Democrats said Owen, 47, has been a pro-life judicial activist whose opinions and rulings were overly influenced by her personal beliefs. In a statement, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles said "Owen repeatedly demonstrated an activist agenda and a history of being against reproductive rights."

However, pro-life advocates were upset by the news. Family Research Council President Ken Connor decried the vote.

"Her defeat also exposes their absolute commitment to radical feminist organizations, which smeared her reputation for supporting a Texas law that requires young girls to notify their parents before having an abortion," Connor said. "These organizations are so fanatical about abortion that they misrepresented the record of an outstanding woman who has clearly been a leader in her field."

Owen's defeat will make party relations difficult in the Senate for the rest of the year, said pro-life Senate Republican leader Trent Lott (R-MS). Other Republicans said they would get even. ``It is important to remember in the Senate that what goes around comes around,'' said pro-life Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Pro-abortion Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA) announced his support Wednesday for Owen, meaning that if the committee had approved her nomination, she would have had the votes to be confirmed if lawmakers voted along party lines. The Senate has 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans and one independent.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer refused to say whether Owen's rejection would alter Bush's future nominations.

``I would expect the president to leave her nomination pending at least through the election, and if we win a Republican majority she will be confirmed,'' said retiring pro-life Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX).

The two parties likely will use judicial nominations in fund-raising and campaigning for control of the Senate: Republicans pointing to the two failed pro-life nominees as a reason for a Republican majority and Democrats arguing they need control to keep pro-life judges such as Owen off the federal bench.

From:  The Pro-Life Infonet <infonet@prolifeinfo.org>
Reply-To:  Steven Ertelt <infonet@prolifeinfo.org>
Subject:   Pro-Abortion Senate Democrats Vote Down Bush Judicial Nominee
Source:   Associated Press, Pro-Life Infonet; September 6, 2002

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