In a statement on the floor of the Senate today, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced he would vote against the confirmation of John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Senator Reid based his decision on his deep concerns over Judge Roberts’ approach to civil rights and women’s rights. “It is now clear that as a young lawyer, John Roberts played a significant role in shaping and advancing the Republican agenda to roll back civil rights protections,” said Senator Reid.
Meanwhile, major civil rights and labor groups have joined the many organizations opposing Roberts. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights announced its opposition during executive director Wade Henderson’s testimony on Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Other groups that have recently announced their opposition to Roberts include the Congressional Black Caucus, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Association of University Women (AAUW), Women’s Sports Foundation, Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US (SIECUS), the Center for American Progress, and Lambda Legal.
Organizations Opposed to the Nomination of John Roberts to the US Supreme Court
Partial List
ADA Watch/National Coalition on Disability Rights
Alliance for Justice
American Association of University Women
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State
Black Women’s Health Imperative
Californians for Fair and Independent Judges
Center for American Progress
Congressional Black Caucus
Feminist Majority
Human Rights Campaign
League of United Latin American Citizens
Legal Momentum
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
MoveOn.org
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
National Abortion Federation
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association of Social Workers
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Women’s Organizations
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Organization for Women
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Women’s Law Center
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
People for the American Way
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
RAINBOW/PUSH Coalition
Pro-Choice Public Education Project’s Young Women’s Leadership Council
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
The Shalom Center
Service Employees International Union
SIECUS
Women’s Sports Foundation
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