Pro-Abortion Groups Send Senate Emails Against Pro-Life Judicial Pick 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 8, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Abortion advocates have generated tens of thousands of emails against a pro-life nominee for a federal judicial post. NARAL, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and others have lobbied fiercely against Honaker’s nomination in advance of a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The pro-abortion complaints center around the confirmation of Wyoming pro-life advocate Richard Honaker to be a federal district court judge.
Honaker, an attorney and former state legislator, received an appointment from President Bush to the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming.
Pro-abortion groups have fiercely opposed Honaker’s nomination because of his efforts to prohibit abortions in Wyoming.
He is known in pro-life circles for proposing the Human Life Protection Act in the state legislature in 1991 and was behind a subsequent state ballot vote in 1994. Voters defeated the ballot measure that year.
NARAL has set a form up on its web site that allows abortion advocates to sign a petition that goes to their senators to urge opposition to Honaker’s nomination. The group claims about 66,000 people have used the form to register their opinions.
In addition, the pro-abortion group has run advertising on pro-abortion blogs and web sites to gather more opposition to Honaker’s service as a judge.
Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi told the Billings Gazette that he disagrees with the abortion activists and says Honaker is well-qualified to be a federal judge.
"We should have a judge who will be impartial when listening to those cases. Mr. Honaker will be that judge," Enzi said.
Sen. John Barrasso agreed with his colleague and told the newspaper, "Charges that Mr. Honaker is anything but balanced in his views is a transparent attempt by special-interest groups to slow the process in the hope of a Democrat president."
The Senate panel will hold a hearing on Tuesday but will not vote on his nomination. Such a vote would come at a later date and, if he is approved, Honaker’s nomination will go to the full Senate for it’s consideration.
Honaker would fill the seat vacated by U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer, who is retiring and taking on senior status. A hearing on his nomination is expected on February 12.
He is a Harvard graduate with a law degree from the University of Wyoming. He has a private practice in the state and has been the head of the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association and the Wyoming State Bar.
Right to Life of Wyoming strongly supports the Honaker nomination and has encouraged its members to support his confirmation in the Senate.
"The nomination of Richard Honaker is consistent with the kind of judges President Bush has appointed the to federal courts in the past. He’s someone who will uphold the rule of law and not engage in political advocacy from the bench," the group says.
"Because of his pro-life views and past efforts to protect human life, it’s obvious that Richard Honaker joins with attorneys on both side of the abortion debate who understand that Roe v. Wade was an example of unadulterated judicial activism and that the role of the courts to is interpret the law — not make it up as you go," the group added.
ACTION: Contact your senator and urge support for Richard Honaker’s nomination by calling 202-224-3121 or going to https://www.senate.gov
