Contact: Contact: Mark Coyle or Mike Russell at 703-683-5004 (ext. 130-Coyle, ext. 109-Russell)
July 1, 2005
Wendy Long, counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network, today made the
following statement on the retirement of Supreme Court Associate Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor:
"We join President Bush in thanking Justice O'Connor for her service to our
nation. Her retirement reminds us that political labels don't really apply
to Supreme Court Justices. She was appointed by a Republican President --
President Reagan -- in 1981, and she has in many cases ruled consistently
with the current President Bush's judicial philosophy of faithfully applying
the Constitution and federal law. She has been closely aligned with Chief
Justice Rehnquist in her voting record and has made significant
contributions in the areas of federalism, respecting the proper role and
power of states in our system, criminal law, school choice, and standing
against the constitutionality of quotas in hiring. She has also made
contributions in the area of property rights, and just last week authored a
biting dissent in the Kelo takings clause case, standing up for the rights
of homeowners against the power of the state to take their homes away for
the benefit of powerful special interests.
"Justice O'Connor was also an early critic of Roe v. Wade and recognized, as
have many liberal commentators, that it is not grounded in the Constitution.
But her absence from the Court does not affect the future of Roe itself;
the real abortion issues before the Court are whether there can be
reasonable regulations of abortion such as bans on partial birth abortion
and laws requiring minors to notify a parent when they have abortions.
"President Bush has said many times that he would fill any vacancies on the
Supreme Court with jurists of outstanding legal ability and intellect,
personal integrity, and a judicial philosophy in the mold of Justice Scalia
and Justice Thomas. Justice O'Connor's resignation gives him the
opportunity to fulfill this promise he has made to the American people, and
I'm confident he will do just that."
To schedule an interview with a representative of the Judicial Confirmation Network, please call Mark Coyle or Mike Russell 703-683-5004 (ex. 130 for Mark Coyle, ex. 109 for Mike Russell)
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