Pro-Abortion Group in Case Sotomayor Authored Urges Caution in Supporting Her

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 27, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Pro-Abortion Group in Case Sotomayor Authored Urges Caution in Supporting Her

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 27
, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The pro-abortion legal group involved in one of the few decisions Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has been involved in concerning abortion is urging a wait and see approach. The Center for Reproductive Rights stopped short of issuing Sotomayor an endorsement.

Instead, CRR wants the Senate to query Sotomayor on where the appeals court judge stands on the notorious Roe v. Wade abortion case that allowed virtually unlimited abortions.

Sotomayor, a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, wrote a ruling concerning the Mexico City Policy, which President Obama recently overturned and which prohibits sending taxpayer dollars to groups that promote and perform abortions in other nations.

Judge Sotomayor upheld the Mexico City Policy and rejected CRR’s claims that it violated the Equal Protection Clause.

Like other pro-abortion groups have done, the Center for Reproductive Rights praised Sotomayor’s background and applauded President Barack Obama for naming the first Hispanic and third woman to the Supreme Court.

However, CRR did not support or endorse Sotomayor and wants more information on where she stands on abortion and Roe.

“It is critical that any new Justice empathize with [supporting abortion] to not only recognize when those protections are being violated, but to take steps to safeguard them," CRR president Nancy Northup said.

"The last Supreme Court decision on abortion was 5 to 4 and diluted the constitutional protections for a woman’s right to abortion," Northup said about her group opposing the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the ban on partial-birth abortions.

"We encourage the Senate Judiciary Committee to engage Judge Sotomayor and any future nominees to the Court on their commitment to the principles of Roe v. Wade," Northup added.

Northup agreed with the conclusion drawn by pro-life groups that Sotomayor’s ruling on the Mexico City Policy did not constitute a ruling on substantive abortion issues.

"Judge Sotomayor has not ruled on the constitutional right to abortion," Northup says about the so-called right. "The opinion focused on the application of legal precedent and did not express a view on or discuss the impact of the [Mexico City Policy] on abortion law reform efforts around the world."

Leading pro-life groups have also called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to adequately question Sotomayor on abortion.

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