Pro-Life Groups Oppose Approving Pro-Abortion, Pro-Euthanasia Obama Picks
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 3, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Thirty pro-life leaders and representatives of pro-life groups representing millions of Americans have authored a letter to Senate leaders opposing the fast-tracking of the next set of nominees. They say President Barack Obama has appointed people to key positions who are pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia.
According to the letter they provided to LifeNews.com, the groups are specifically opposed to Dawn Johnsen, David Ogden, and Thomas J. Perrelli, each of whom are top Justice Department picks.
Johnsen is a pro-abortion lawyer and ex-NARAL staffer who was named Obama’s top legal counsel, Ogden is the nominee for Deputy Attorney General who drew criticism for authoring a Supreme Court brief dismissing negative effects from an abortion, and Perrelli is a potential third-ranking Justice Department official who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband.
The pro-life advocates sent the letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee and members of the panel.
"We are writing on behalf of Americans who are concerned with the lack of scrutiny that could be applied to some of President Obama’s most important nominees," they say.
"As new nominations come before your committee, we hope you will reject pressure from the White House or others to rubber stamp nominations. Instead, it is our hope that you will give the American people an opportunity to hear about nominees and their records," the letter adds.
"If confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve in high offices within the Department of Justice, Dawn Johnsen, David Ogden, and Thomas J. Perrelli could have a dramatic impact on the state of this nation’s legal order," the letter says.
"Each of these nominees has made public comments or has taken positions indicating strong support for a shift in national policy regarding the culture of life. Whatever one thinks of the culture of life, dramatic shifts in policy on such important national questions should not happen without serious deliberation," it explains.
About Ogden, the letter complains that his hearing is next week, less than a month after his nomination and that he wrote a "terrible" amicus brief denying how abortion hurts women.
Concerning Johnsen, the pro-life groups say it is "absolutely stunning" that Obama would nominate the pro-abortion attorney after criticisms that the Bush administration politicized the office.
"For eight years, the Democrats and the Left complained that this office, charged with providing the government with objective opinions about the constitutionality of acts it wishes to undertake had been politicized in an unprecedented way," the letter says. "And, now, without any debate or discussion, the Obama Administration is putting forward an absolute political zealot from two of the nation’s most Leftist groups."
Perrelli, nominated to serve as Associate Attorney General, is most infamous for his defense of Terri Schiavo’s husband, who won a court order to starve her to death.
"Perrelli even worked with pro-euthanasia attorney George Felos on the case, sending a clear message about his own end-of-life views," the letter says. "The appointment of Perrelli is hardly a surprise—President Obama voted with a unanimous Senate to pass the Schiavo bill, but now calls it one of his biggest mistakes."
The letter concludes by asking that ample time be given to question the nominees "and demand serious answers so that the American people can continue to play a part in defining the cultural fabric of our nation."
Some of the signers of the letter include representatives of the Family Research Council, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, Susan B. Anthony List, Life Issues Institute, Eagle Forum, Thomas More Society, American Values, Heartbeat International, Presbyterians Pro-Life, Culture of Life Foundation and Human Life Alliance.
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