Pro-Life Groups Urge Opposition to Pro-Abortion Obama Pick for Justice Dept
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 5, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Leading pro-life groups are pulling out all the stops to urge opposition to a pro-abortion nominee President Barack Obama has put forward for Deputy Attorney General. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to hold a confirmation hearing on David Ogden happening today.
As LifeNews.com has reported, Ogden is coming under fire for denying the physical and mental health problems that plague women who have abortions.
Ogden wrote and filed an amicus brief on behalf of the American Psychological Association for the Supreme Court’s seminal decision in Casey v. Planned Parenthood.
In it, Ogden argued, "Abortion rarely causes or exacerbates psychological or emotional problems. When women do experience regret, depression, or guilt, such feelings are mild and diminish rapidly without adversely affecting general functioning."
Ogden has gone further by arguing against parental notification and saying, because "there is no qualitative … difference between minors … and adults," there is no reason for the parents of a young girl to know if she is having an abortion.
"Any day now, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the confirmation of David Ogden to become President Barack Obama’s Deputy Attorney General," Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council tells LifeNews.com. "Ogden has built a career on representing views and companies that most Americans find repulsive."
"In his career he has argued against parents being notified that their 14-year old girl had an abortion," he complains. "Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Mr. Ogden has argued that women who have had abortions suffer no detrimental consequences."
"Please contact your Senator today," Perkins urges pro-life advocates, "and stop a pro-abortion advocate from going to the Justice Department."
Colleen Parro, the head of the Republican National Committee for Life, is also urging a no vote on the Ogden nomination.
"Ogden is well-known for his radically pro-abortion position," she told LifeNews.com. "In fact, David Ogden is so pro-abortion that he began his career as a law clerk to Justice Harry Blackmun, the Supreme Court Justice who wrote the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade."
She also urged pro-life people to tell members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote no.
"Your pro-life Senators want you to weight in on this issue," she said.
"They need encouragement from their constituents to vote against these radical Obama nominees. Senate liberals are trying to push these nominees through at warp speed so that their controversial pasts fly under the radar," Parro added.
The hearing is expected to be held on Thursday morning but it is not known if the panel will take a vote at that time.
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
