Women's Rights Supporters Plan Full Court Press, Demand that Senators Reject Alito Nomination

Statement of National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy

January 13, 2006

Although senators should be thanked for their thoughtful and probing questions, Judge Alito's steadfast refusal to give answers should give every senator, Democrat or Republican, real pause. If this nominee cannot—or will not—answer questions about his own writings, and where he stands on core values like equality and privacy, then senators must not "roll the dice" and vote on a hope and a prayer that he will not take the country in a dangerous direction with rulings that will affect the lives of millions.

Judge Alito bobbed, weaved and sidestepped question after question, even when asked repeatedly about his views on Roe v. Wade and a constitutional right to privacy. Alito even refused to agree that Roe is "settled law," as Chief Justice Roberts did in his own confirmation hearings.

This kind of evasion distorts the purpose of the hearings. "The system's kind of broken," Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) said Thursday on the Today show. "Nominees now, Democrat and Republican nominees, come before the U.S. Congress and resolve not to let the people know what they think about the important issues."

That may be true, but senators need to hear from us that if they're not part of the solution, they're part of the problem. If they want to be part of the solution, they must refuse to confirm any nominee who does not respond to reasonable and appropriate questions.

Women across the country will continue to press our elected leaders to ask the tough questions and insist on answers. Their decision could mold the shape of the Supreme Court for decades, and that means too much is at stake.

The real fight has just begun, and it's a full Court press.

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906

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