Harriet Miers Steps Down as Supreme Court Nominee After Abortion Flap 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 27, 2005
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Harriet Miers withdrew herself from her nomination to the Supreme Court to replace outgoing pro-abortion Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Her move comes just one day after two speeches she gave to women’s groups in the 1990s were released that raised concerns for pro-life groups.
President Bush made the announcement Thursday that Miers has asked to be withdrawn.
"Today, I have reluctantly accepted Harriet Miers’ decision to withdraw her nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States," the president said in a statement.
"I nominated Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court because of her extraordinary legal experience, her character, and her conservative judicial philosophy," Bush said. "Throughout her career, she has gained the respect and admiration of her fellow attorneys. She has earned a reputation for fairness and total integrity. She has been a leader and a pioneer in the American legal profession."
Bush said Miers withdrew in part because of the requests from Senate Democrats to obtain files related to her work as White House legal counsel.
However, equal concern came from pro-life groups who worried Miers wouldn’t be any better than O’Connor, who was one of six votes in favor of upholding Roe and the deciding vote in favor of partial-birth abortions.
Responding to the news, pro-abortion Sen. Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate, dismissed the reasons for Miers’ withdrawal.
"In politics, for every major decision there is a good reason and a real reason," Durbin said. "The good reason may be the documents. The real reason is there was an abiding doubt that Harriet Miers would ever be confirmed to the Supreme Court."
President Bush vowed to bring forward a new nominee in a "timely manner."
