A strong coalition of 120 women’s rights groups unite in opposition to John Aschcroft’s and Tommy Thompson’s nominations. “Women’s organizations are justifiably outraged over Bush’s appointment of right-wing, anti-women’s rights extremists,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority. “Based on their records, Ashcroft puts ideology over law and Thompson puts ideology over health policy,” […]
John Ashcroft is a totally anti-choice, anti-women’s rights nomination for Attorney General. Not only did Ashcroft staunchly oppose the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), as Missouri’s Attorney General he filed suit against the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1979. Ashcroft charged NOW with anti-trust violations and attempted to break the ERA convention boycott of unratified […]
A US Commission on Civil Rights held a hearing last week in Florida to try to determine if the obstacles black and physically impaired voters encountered at the polls on November 7 were intentional. Problems at the polls included racial discrimination, inadequate assistance for physically impaired voters, faulty voting machines, increased police presence and wrongfully […]
The first session of the Senate confirmation hearing for John Ashcroft’s nomination to the position of attorney general began Tuesday morning with Democratic leaders coming out strong against Ashcroft’s anti-choice, anti-civil rights, and anti-woman record. Sen. Patrick Leahy, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, described the position of the Attorney General as one requiring the “full confidence […]
Thirteen-year-old Bariya Ibrahim Magazu was charged with having pre-marital sex and making “false” accusations against the three middle-aged men whom she testifies pressured her into sex. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Magazu’s own father had debts with each of the three men and therefore arranged for her to have sex with them as a method of […]
A non-partisan network of over 120 organizations representing more than six million women announce their opposition to the nominations of John Ashcroft as Attorney General and Tommy Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The groups will hold a press conference on Tuesday, January 16 at 9:30 am at the National Press Club. Speakers […]
New Hampshire Representative Tom Alciere resigned after controversy stemming from the anti-police messages he posted to the internet from 1999-2001; he was also criticized for his comments in defense of violence against women. Nashua police officers reported that he had written several letters to the editor of local papers advocating domestic violence, and implying that […]
Union leaders showed cautious optimism at the nomination of Elaine Chao as Labor Secretary. Wife of Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, Chao has a record of conservative public service. She is a fellow at the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation and serves on several boards of directors including Dole Food Co., Northwest Airlines Inc. and the National Association […]
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is the first senator to publicly oppose the confirmation of Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft. Boxer has urged President-elect Bush to withdraw his nomination of Ashcroft, questioning Ashcroft’s ability to enforce laws protecting women’s rights, abortion rights, civil rights, and gun control. Sen Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) promised to ask tough questions […]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Femara, a new hormone drug treatment option for women with late-stage breast cancer. Currently, tamoxifen is most often used to treat breast cancer in its later stages. An international study found the Swiss made drug to give women with late-stage breast cancer as much as 9 months […]
The NAACP and other civil rights groups have filed a class action lawsuit against Florida voting officials on behalf of black residents who were not allowed to vote in the November 7 presidential election. The suit, filed against Sec. of State Katherine Harris, Director of the state Division of Elections Clay Roberts, several election supervisors […]
Current plans are already underway as Leadership Alliance activists return to school and prepare for the 28th Anniversary of Roe on January 22nd. The LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE at SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE will host a pro-choice film festival. The CONNECTICUT COLLEGE FMLA has organized a weeklong celebration of Roe that will include an abortion-rights lecture with speakers […]
Several student leaders who attended FMF’s Feminist Leadership Institute last July are now organizing an east coast conference at Connecticut College for the weekend of Feb 16-18, 2001. Visit the Conference Web site to print out registration forms and see the most current program schedule!
Robert Mullally, a former legal consultant who exposed serious family violence involving officers in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), was found in criminal contempt on Friday in federal district court in Los Angeles. Mullally was joined at the courthouse by Penny Harrington, director of the National Center for Women & Policing, a division of […]
Linda Chavez, Bush’s anti-affirmative action, anti-pay equity, anti-minimum wage, and anti-gay and lesbian rights choice for Labor Secretary, withdrew from the running late yesterday afternoon. Bush has not officially announced a new nominee, but several conservative figures are reportedly in the running: Jim Talent, Rich Bond, Jennifer Dunn, Eloise Anderson, Elaine Chao, and Stephen Goldsmith. […]
Aloisea Inyumba is reserved but warm, with a smile that flickers softly during the telling of a favorite story. She lives on the edge between horror and hope. As the new head of Rwanda’s National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, Inyumba bears witness each day to the worst case of genocide committed in the second half […]
John Ashcroft is a totally anti-choice, anti-women’s rights nomination for Attorney General. Not only did Ashcroft staunchly oppose the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), as Missouri’s Attorney General he filed suit against the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1979. Ashcroft charged NOW with anti-trust violations and attempted to break the ERA convention boycott of unratified […]
Oklahoma State Rep. Bill Graves (R-OK) has introduced a state law that would make the distribution or prescription of RU 486 a felony and punishable by up to $1,000 and/or two years in prison. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale and distribution of RU 486 in September 2000, but Graves believes a […]
Beatrice S. Burstein, noted feminist, social activist and New York State Supreme Court Justice, died this weekend at age 85. Burstein began her thirty-year judicial career when appointed to the New York State Commission of Correctionshe was the first woman to serve in this position. Justice Burstein also used her Supreme Court appointment to advocate […]
During a joint session of Congress in which electoral votes were officially tallied, ten members of the Congressional Black Caucus submitted their opposition to the 25 electoral votes from the state of Florida cast for George W. Bush and Richard Cheney. Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Carrie P. Meek (D-FL), Corrine […]
