Washington D.C., Jul 22, 2009 / 21:34 pm
The pro-abortion group NARAL Pro-Choice America has announced its support for Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
NARAL president Nancy Keenan and NARAL Pro-Choice New York president Kelli Conlin issued a joint statement on Tuesday saying that President Barack Obama made a “sound choice” in nominating Sotomayor.
“From the beginning, we have said her nomination reflects the president's commitment to ensuring that justices have strong legal credentials and understand how the law affects everyday people's lives, including the need to keep politicians from interfering in our personal, private medical decisions.”
Keenan and Conlin noted that they had testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that the fate of the pro-abortion Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade “hangs in the balance.” They added that they were “pleased” that Judge Sotomayor, in their view, expressed “stronger support for the established constitutional right to privacy” than either Chief Justice John Roberts or Justice Samuel Alito.
Those two previous Supreme Court nominees, they said, had “anti-choice” records before being nominated and confirmed.
According to the NARAL leaders, Judge Sotomayor had said several times in her confirmation hearing that the constitutional right to privacy includes “the right to choose.”
Keenan and Conlin explained that strong support for Sotomayor from their “pro-choice allies” contributed to their own decision to support her nomination, as did President Obama’s “consistent record” of support for Roe v. Wade and for placing likeminded individuals in “key posts.”
Soon after Sotomayor’s nomination was announced, the New York Times reported that some pro-abortion groups were “quietly expressing unease” about her reliability in upholding Roe v. Wade. At the time, Keenan released a statement saying NARAL was looking forward to learning more about Judge Sotomayor’s views on abortion.
The Denver Post reports that Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has expressed confidence that Judge Sotomayor will be confirmed by a full Senate vote in time for the Supreme Court’s first meeting on September 9.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news.
As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Click hereOur mission is the truth. Join us!
Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church.
Donate to CNA