Senate Judiciary Democrats Announce Opposition to Samuel Alito on Abortion

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 19, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Senate Judiciary Democrats Announce Opposition to Samuel Alito on Abortion Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 19, 2006

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Three prominent pro-abortion members of the Senate Judiciary Committee today announced that they will vote against Samuel Alito to be confirmed for the Supreme Court.

The announcement comes as no surprise because the members harshly questioned Alito on abortion and were not satisfied with his answers.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the committee will vote against Alito. Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, the number two Democrat in the Senate and longtime pro-abortion Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts will oppose Alito as well.

Leahy voted to confirm John Roberts as Chief Justice, but he made his vote about Alito known in a speech at Georgetown University.

"I’m not going to lend my support to an effort by this president to move the Supreme Court and the law radically to the right and to remove the final check within our democracy," Leahy said.

Alito is not expected to receive the votes of any Democrats on the judicial panel, meaning he will be approved on a party-line 10-8 vote. Roberts received three Democrat votes with Wisconsin Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl joining Leahy in support.

However, observers say Alito will have little trouble being confirmed and has enough support on the Senate floor to overcome a filibuster.

In addition to the 55 Republicans, who are all expected to back Alito, pro-life Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska announced his support.

Nelson told AP he was backing Alito "because of his impeccable judicial credentials, the American Bar Association’s strong recommendation and his pledge that he would not bring a political agenda to the court."

The committee is expected to vote on Tuesday on Alito’s nomination to replace retiring pro-abortion Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The full Senate has planned to take up the nomination Wednesday and vote on Friday.