Head of Human Life International blasts, others still skeptical of would-be Justice Miers

Oct 5, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, head of the group Human Life International offered some of the harshest criticism yet today, in the confused firestorm around Harriet Miers, President Bush’s recent pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Fr. Euteneuer chided Bush, saying that his choice of close friend Miers sends a message of: "'If you are pro-life keep your mouths shut and hide in the closet if you ever hope to advance in your career.'“ 

"The nomination of Miers”, he said, “is a slap in the face to pro-life lawyers and judges who have not been ashamed of the principles that inform their conscience; evidently courage of conviction disqualifies candidates for the bench."

"We know very little about Miers, but her nomination revealed a lot about President Bush. It has become clear he is afraid to fight for the values on which he campaigned."

Fr. Euteneuer recalled that "Last year Bush asked faithful Catholics to fight for him, campaign for him and vote for him and they did in record numbers; now the President lacks the stomach to fight for the values of those who put him in office.”

He added that Bush “is asking us to trust him in a gamble with the lives of millions of unborn babies, with the health and well being of mothers, with the fate of our nation.”

Others, particularly many in the president’s own Republican party and numerous pro-lifers are skeptical of Miers, who has never been a judge and has little evidence to suggest how she would rule on key life issues.

President Bush and his aides however, have been actively trying to quell fears encouraging skeptics to give Miers a chance to prove herself before making their decision.