Judgment Call

Recently I walked to Senator Dianne Feinstein's office in downtown San Francisco, armed with 6,300 letters from CREDO members asking her to oppose the federal judicial nomination of Richard Honaker to the Wyoming district court. (Take action here)

It was an easy call.

Standing with me were representatives from pro-choice, civil rights and constitutional law organizations galvanized to oppose a nomination to a district court because his views are so extreme that, if approved, he would do extreme damage to our country, even at the District Court level.

We are taking action because even though the Senator has a pro-choice record, she has insisted on listening to Honaker's testimony before making a decision.

And so the Senator -- from the most pro-choice state in the country -- led the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on one of the most anti-choice nominees yet. In case Senator Feinstein still hasn't made up her mind (she said she was dissatisfied with Honaker's answers, but refused to comment further), maybe this will help.

Richard Honaker has spent his career fighting to deny women access to safe, legal reproductive-health services. He publicly and actively opposes abortion.

As a representative in the Wyoming State Legislature, Honaker introduced the "Human Life Protection Act" in 1991. The act would have criminalized abortion from the moment of conception except in the cases of rape, incest or to protect a woman's life. Even women who were the victims of rape or incest would have been denied abortions unless they reported the incidents to the authorities within five days.

When the Act failed to pass, Honaker reintroduced it in 1992 and it was again defeated. In 1994, Honaker served as counsel to the Unseen Hands Prayer Circle, which formed to place the "Human Life Protection Act" on the statewide ballot, which was soundly defeated by voters in Wyoming.

It is shocking that after the Democrats won a majority in the Senate, Bush continues to nominate extremist, anti-choice judges -- and get away with it. Enough is enough. Democratic senators need to stand up to Bush and tell him to stand down on this nomination and any other nominee who will legislate from the bench views that are not only inconsistent with those of a sizeable majority of the country, but against the Constitution as well.

In January we marked the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which made access to abortion safe and legal, and we must continue to uphold a woman's right to choose. Senator Feinstein must block Honaker at every turn.

Comments

[desmirl]

If you don't understand that the Democrats are part of the problem and not part of the solution, you aren't paying attention. The Dems are terrified of George W. Bush, and take every opportunity to cower in a corner and tremble whenever he strolls across Washington D.C.'s huge stage. Until we find Democrats with the courage to do what's right and elect THEM, we will continue to have people like Feinstein who wait to vote until they are sure they know which way the wind is blowing. VOTE THE COWARDS OUT OF OFFICE AND REPLACE THEM WITH REAL AMERICANS.

[MsLiz]

Frankly, I wish the Senate would cease confirming Federal judges altogether until January 2009. You asked us to email our senators, so I did, but since I live in Effen Alabama, it won't do any good.

[hopeless277]

Don't forget, Di-Fi voted for Mukasey as well as countless other bad-for-th­e-country-­good-for-m­e nominees and legislation. Don't expect her to side with her constituents until she checks in with the Republican leadership.

[V4Vigilance]

Good luck w/DiFi, you're going to need it. She's a DINO that needs to be put out to pasture at the earliest possible opportunity.