NOW Urges Senate to Reject Lifetime Appointment for Pryor

May 12, 2005

"Today the Senate Judiciary Committee displayed its contempt for a wide range of civil rights by giving a pass to judicial nominee William Pryor," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "It is now up to the full Senate to say 'no' to a lifetime appointment for this radical ideologue."

Since he was first nominated, NOW has actively opposed Pryor to sit on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal based on his extremist positions on abortion, civil rights, states rights, disability rights, voting rights and religion. Nothing that he has done since his inexcusable recess appointment by President Bush last year has caused us to change our view of his nomination. Despite his appalling record, the Judiciary Committee forwarded his nomination to the full Senate on a straight party line (10-8).

It is of no comfort to those who value hard-fought constitutional rights, that no Republican on the committee had enough backbone to stand up to this outrageous nominee. This party line vote signals yet again the Republican leadership's determination to wage war on our rights and jettison the Senate's historic advice and consent function.

"Pryor is a threat to our judicial system and to the safety of women in the U.S.," said Gandy. "For Bush to declare this man a 'distinguished public servant' is a slap in the face to anyone who has worked for equal rights in this country."

Pryor, who was Attorney General of Alabama, used that office to promote his conservative social agenda, specifically his belief that the Christian religion and the government should work hand in hand. He has consistently argued against a woman's right to choose abortion, and has said that the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade was "the worst abomination in the history of Constitutional law." In addition, Pryor filed an amicus brief on behalf of the state of Alabama in United States v. Morrison, challenging the constitutionality of a key provision of the Violence Against Women Act. He argued that this federal civil rights protection interfered with "state's rights," and was therefore unconstitutional.

"NOW urges all Senators who believe in equal protection and fundamental fairness to reject this nominee," said Gandy. "No deal is acceptable which allows such a man to be confirmed to a lifetime position. We applaud those Senators who have signaled that they will resume a filibuster against his confirmation."

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