Sen. Leahy Says Ads Criticizing, Supporting Supreme Court Nominee Roberts Are 'Irrelevant', USA
In addition to PFA, other groups and individuals -- including a politically neutral watchdog group and some abortion-rights supporters -- have reacted negatively to the NARAL Pro-Choice America ad that criticizes Roberts' position on abortion rights, the New York Times reports. According to Factcheck.org, a nonpartisan project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, the ad is "false" and "uses the classic tactic of guilt by association" (Greenhouse, New York Times, 8/11). "It is true that Roberts sided with the bomber and many other defendants in a civil case, but the case didn't deal with bombing at all," the Factcheck.org analysis says, adding, "Roberts argued that abortion clinics who brought the suit had no right to use an 1871 federal anti-discrimination statute against antiabortion protesters who tried to blockade clinics. Eventually, a 6-3 majority of the Supreme Court agreed, too. Roberts argued that blockades were already illegal under state law." In addition, the ad gives a "false implication" and uses "especially misleading" images by showing a clinic bombing that occurred seven years after Roberts signed the brief in question, according to the analysis (Hurt, Washington Times, 8/11). The ad also resulted in "general uneasiness" among the abortion-rights community at large, although few leaders of abortion-rights groups agreed to speak on record about the ad, the New York Times reports. However, Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, said she was "deeply upset and offended" by NARAL Pro-Choice America's ad, which she said is "far too intemperate and far too personal" and "step[s] over the line into the kind of personal character attack we shouldn't be engaging in." She said, "As a pro-choice person, I don't like being placed on the defensive by my leaders. NARAL should pull [the ad] and move on." Walter Dellinger, a former acting solicitor general in the Clinton administration and a longtime supporter of NARAL Pro-Choice America, also voiced concerns about the ad. In a letter to Leahy and Senate Judiciary Chair Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Dellinger said he disagreed with Roberts' argument in the Bray case but said it was unfair to give "the impression that Roberts is somehow associated with clinic bombers." NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan defended the ad, saying it is "tough" and "accurate," adding, "It has done exactly what we expected it to do" by providing a "wake-up call" about the importance of reproductive rights in nominating a Supreme Court justice (New York Times, 8/11). Sen. Boxer Demands Roberts Support Abortion Rights
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) on Wednesday said she will vote against Roberts unless he says he supports abortion rights and impede Senate business if Roberts declines to answer questions regarding his views on abortion, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/11). "Judge Roberts cannot duck this issue. I need to know exactly where he will stand, and I need to know if he will fight to protect and defend the rights and freedoms of the American people," Boxer said, adding, "If I don't believe he will, I won't vote for him" (Kravets, AP/San Luis Obispo Tribune, 8/11). Boxer said she wants to know if Roberts supports reproductive choice and the constitutional right to privacy established in Roe. She did not specifically threaten to use a filibuster to block a vote on Roberts' confirmation but said she would "use all the parliamentary tools" in her power to "make it difficult for other business to get done until we get the information we need" (San Francisco Chronicle, 8/11). Abortion-Rights Groups Want Roberts Documents
Abortion-rights groups on Tuesday urged the White House to release documents from Roberts' work as deputy solicitor general under former President Bush, including a legal brief in which Roberts argued that civil rights laws do not apply to women denied access to abortions by violent protesters, Reuters reports. Senate Democrats also have requested additional documents, but the Department of Justice has denied the requests, citing attorney-client privilege. Abortion-rights advocates say the documents are needed to determine whether Roberts followed government policy to prepare the briefs or whether the writings reflect his personal views. The groups also said senators must question Roberts on a brief he co-authored that states harassment directed toward women seeking abortion services does not constitute discrimination (Allen, Reuters, 8/10). Broadcast Coverage
Several broadcast programs reported recently on the ads regarding Roberts' nomination. Some of them are summarized below.
ABCNews' "World News Tonight": The segment includes comments from Dellinger and Keenan (Tapper, "World News Tonight," ABCNews, 8/10). A related ABCNews story is available online.
NBC's "Nightly News": The segment includes comments from Keenan and former government attorney Victoria Toensing, (Williams, "Nightly News," NBC, 8/9). The complete segment is available online in Windows Media.
NPR's "All Things Considered": The segment includes comments from Factcheck.org Director Brooks Jackson and Keenan (Naylor, "All Things Considered," NPR, 8/10). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Sen. Leahy spune Reclame critica, Curtea Supremã de sprijin nominalã Roberts sunt "Irelevant", Statele Unite ale Americii - Sen. Leahy Says Ads Criticizing, Supporting Supreme Court Nominee Roberts Are 'Irrelevant', USA - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate