Push for judges opposed to choice has already emboldened campaigners who have helped pass restrictive laws at the state level
Pro-choice supporters rally outside the supreme court in Washington DC on 27 June 2016.
QUESTION FOR YOU ALL
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE A UNBORN LIFE?
Fears Trump's anti-choice picks could set back abortion fight for a generation
Wendy Vitter is the kind of judicial nominee anti-abortion campaigners banked on when they cast a vote for Trump.
She’s a former prosecutor and general counsel for the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans who lobbied against abortion access cheered laws which make abortion “difficult” and believes abortions hurt women.
Vitter has insisted she could keep rulings separate from her personal views. Less than a week ago, the Senate judiciary committee moved forward her nomination for a lifetime appointment in the eastern district court of Louisiana.
Daniel Goldberg, legal director at Alliance for Justice, a group that rates judicial nominees, said: “For the next 30, 40, 50 years, these individuals will be deciding cases involving reproductive rights, regarding sex harassment, regarding workplace equality.
“That means for the vast, vast majority of people, the final word on what our constitution means and whether critical laws are properly enforced is from these lower courts” – such as the district court where Vitter could serve.
Donald Trump came into office promising to appoint judges who would “automatically” overturn Roe v Wade. The landmark 1973 supreme court ruling legalized abortion in the US. Now, Trump is making good on that promise, nominating openly political “theological crusaders”, in Goldberg’s words, to serve lifetime appointments as judges.
Anti-abortion demonstrators gather on the steps of the Capitol in Washington DC on the first anniversary of Roe v Wade, 22 January 1974
Trump’s new generation of judicial nominees forms a pipeline for eroding reproductive rights, said Kaylie Hanson Long, national communications direct for Naral, a pro-choice organization. Vitter is also one of several called “biased” by some advocacy groups. Others have been rated “not qualified” by professional associations.
The pipeline, said Hanson Long, starts with legislation written by anti-abortion state campaigners, which become laws passed by state legislators, “which will be heard in front of judges that were supported by other anti-choice organizations.
“It then potentially go to the US supreme court, where they’ll meet [Justice] Neil Gorsuch,” a pro-life Trump pick, “and potentially another anti-choice nominee, that Donald Trump would install if given the opportunity, to rule against women and families.”
Indeed, Trump’s push for new, anti-choice judges has emboldened anti-choice campaigners. In May, Iowa passed one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the industrialized world, banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be found, or about six weeks after conception. Most women do not know they are pregnant then.
 |
| Planned Parenthood of the Heartland CEO Suzanna de Baca and ACLU of Iowa legal director Rita Bettis announce a lawsuit against Iowa’s restrictive abortion law. |
That anti-abortion groups told the Guardian, is the point.
“It’s no accident that state legislatures have been, in recent years, passing countless laws designed to erode – and in many cases eradicate – the critical right for women,” said Goldberg. “They’ve done so knowing that Donald Trump is appointing judges who will outright overturn a Roe v Wade and its progeny, or severely limit it and make it almost meaningless.”
For example, cases appealed from lower courts in Iowa could go to the eighth circuit, and be heard before new Trump pick Leonard Steven Grasz. He was rated “not qualified” by the American Bar Association (ABA), America’s largest association of attorneys.
An ABA rating panel described Grasz as “gratuitously rude”, and said his “pro-life agenda” seemed to “overwhelm and obscure the ability to exercise dispassionate and unbiased judgment”.
Those advising Trump on judicial picks are also opposed to abortion rights. Unlike in previous administrations, Trump’s White House has not consulted with the ABA at all on nominations. Rather, the Trump administration appears to have relied on the Federalist Society, where many nominees have been current or former members, or frequent speakers.
Trump's hard-right judges will do lasting damage to America
The group’s pro-life executive vice-president, Leonard Leo, served as an adviser to Trump on judicial picks but has publicly downplayed his role. The Federalist Society did not return an email seeking comment.
“Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to appoint supreme court justices who would vote to overturn Roe v Wade,” said Hanson Long, of pro-choice organization Naral. “Trump’s nomination of these individuals is sort of the final puzzle piece in many attempts to erode abortion access and reproductive freedoms.”
Vitter’s nomination is still pending before the US Senate. When she was before the Senate judiciary committee, she promised to keep her personal beliefs separate from any decisions she would make, should she be confirmed as a judge.
Those personal beliefs are well known. Just five years ago, she spoke before a rally at a Planned Parenthood clinic under construction in Baton Rouge.
“Planned Parenthood says they promote women’s health,” said Vitter. “It is the saddest of ironies that they kill over 150,000 females a year,” she said referring to fetuses. “The first step in promoting women’s health is to let them live.”
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -- Plato (429-347 BC)
"FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM AND LIBERTY"
and is protected speech pursuant to the "unalienable rights" of all men, and the First (and Second) Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, In God we trust
Stand Up To Government Corruption and Hypocrisy
NEVER FORGET THE SACRIFICES
BY OUR VETERANS
Note: We at The Patriot cannot make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information.
Don't forget to follow the Friends Of Liberty on Facebook and our Page also Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and Google Plus PLEASE help spread the word by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.
LibertygroupFreedom 
The Patriot is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with the mission to Educate, protect and defend individual freedoms and individual rights.
Support the Trump Presidency and help us fight Liberal Media Bias. Please LIKE and SHARE this story on Facebook or Twitter.
WE THE PEOPLE
TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Join The Resistance and Share This Article Now!
TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Help us spread the word about THE PATRIOT Blog we're reaching millions help us reach millions more.
Help us spread the word about THE PATRIOT Blog we're reaching millions help us reach millions more.
Please SHARE this now! The Crooked Liberal Media will hide and distort the truth. It’s up to us, Trump social media warriors, to get the truth out. If we don’t, no one will!
Share this story on Facebook and let us know because we want to hear YOUR voice!
Facebook has greatly reduced the distribution of our stories in our readers' newsfeeds and is instead promoting mainstream media sources. When you share with your friends, however, you greatly help distribute our content. Please take a moment and consider sharing this article with your friends and family. Thank you
Share this story on Facebook and let us know because we want to hear YOUR voice!
Facebook has greatly reduced the distribution of our stories in our readers' newsfeeds and is instead promoting mainstream media sources. When you share with your friends, however, you greatly help distribute our content. Please take a moment and consider sharing this article with your friends and family. Thank you
No comments:
Post a Comment