 On July 19, 2005 President Bush nominated DC Circuit Court Judge John Roberts to the US Supreme Court. The Feminist Majority, the National Organization for Women, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and the National Abortion Federation all immediately announced their intentions to oppose Roberts for the position. On September 5th, following the death of Justice William Rehnquist, Roberts was nominated to the position of Chief Justice of the United States. He was confirmed on September 29, 2005.
“I am extremely disappointed that the President did not appoint a centrist woman to fill Sandra Day O’Connor’s seat on the Supreme Court,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority when Roberts was first nominated. “We are now going back to tokenism for women on the highest court in the land.”
“Everything we know about Judge Roberts’ record this far indicates that he will be a solid vote against women’s rights and Roe v. Wade,” Smeal continued. “If he is to be confirmed by senators who support women’s rights, he must say where he stands on Roe and the right to privacy. The burden is on him.”
Judge Roberts, as Deputy Solicitor General, argued against Roe v. Wade, and also argued on behalf of Operation Rescue, an extreme anti-abortion group, in Bray v. Alexandria. The Feminist Majority Foundation maintains the largest clinic defense program in the country, and knows that the result of the pro-choice loss in Bray v. Alexandria was increased violence at clinics. In private practice, Roberts argued against affirmative action for minorities.
The opposition forces behind President Bush raised millions of dollars to support whomever Bush appoints for the Supreme Court. Just one such right-wing advocacy organization, Progress for America, has raised $18 million already to fight for President Bush's Supreme Court nominees. Another such organization, the Judicial Confirmation Network, has raised $3 million for its media campaign to fight any attempt to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee.
Groups opposing Roberts included:
Feminist Majority
National Organization for Women
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Abortion Federation
National Council of Jewish Women
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Jesse Jackson/Rainbow PUSH Coalition
MoveOn
ADA Watch
American Association of People with Disabilities
National Association of Social Workers
People for the American Way
Alliance for Justice
Human Rights Campaign
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
League of United Latin American Citizens
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Council of Women's Organizations
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Women’s Law Center
The Shalom Center
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