Thursday, July 9, 2009

Boxer: Women's Groups Are On Board

Liberal women's groups may not be out in front pushing for Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation, but according to Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., "they're all for her."

In a press conference today with Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Boxer emphasized that women's groups are on board, despite a relative lack of visibility during the process so far. "I have heard from them," Boxer said. "They're all for her. Things are going really well. There is no need for groups to get all geared up." She added that if "things take a turn for the worse," they would be ready to fill a more public role.

Abortion rights groups such as NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood have been largely silent on the nomination. Sotomayor has never ruled directly on the constitutionality of abortion, and her only ruling of note on the issue was a dismissal of a claim brought by a reproductive rights group in 2002 challenging the so-called Mexico City Policy, which banned U.S. aid to organizations that performed or promoted abortions abroad. In that case, she ruled that the policy was within the confines of precedent. Still, the White House has signaled that she subscribes to its view of a constitutional right to privacy, which is the backbone of Roe v. Wade.

A coalition of conservative women's groups released statements this morning expressing concern about Sotomayor's record, which they said does skew in favor of abortion rights. "Sonia Sotomayor's record of support for judicial activism and her work for the pro-abortion Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund offer little comfort that she will be a friend to the unborn on the Supreme Court," wrote Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser.