After Judiciary Committee Vote, NOW Renews Call for Filibuster

For Immediate Release
Contact: Lisa Bennett, 202-628-8669, ext. 123; cell 202-641-1906

After Judiciary Committee Vote, NOW Renews Call for Filibuster

Organization Praises Unanimous "No" Vote by Committee Democrats

"I'm not surprised that all ten Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted this morning to recommend Judge Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court," said National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy, "but I am disappointed by their fawning refusal to recognize the danger his confirmation poses to women and to the nation."

In statements prior to today's vote, Democratic senators further defined the threats Alito's record poses to women's rights, civil rights and workers' rights, and his repeated refusal to respond to questions about his judicial philosophy and thinking. "The only way to protect our rights, freedoms, and individual liberties is for every senator who supports women's rights to vote "No" on the nomination. But that is not enough," said Gandy. "Polls show that a majority of people believe that 60 out of 100 senate votes should be required for such an important confirmation, and so do we. We urge senators who recognize the danger of this nomination to use their right to filibuster, which would prevent confirmation unless Alito can obtain the votes of 60 senators," said Gandy.

"NOW applauds the eight Democratic senators who recognized that Sam Alito is the wrong judge at the wrong time for the people of this country," Gandy said. "Unfortunately, the 10 senators who value his ultra-conservative ideology over the majority wishes of the people of this country had their way today. This means that Democrats must lead the filibuster fight to protect the rights and liberties of people across the United States."

The Democratic senators echoed our concerns. "I am very concerned about the impact he would have on women's rights, including a woman's right to make certain reproductive choices," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the lone woman on the committee. "I really believe the majority of people in America believe that a woman should have certain rights of privacy; modified by the state, but certain rights of privacy. And if you know this person is not going to respect those rights but holds to a different theory, then you have to stand up."

"How clear the inequalities in our nation become when we see, and our daughters see, that only one woman sits on the Judiciary Committee making decisions about a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy—which, if this nominee is confirmed, will have only one woman justice," said Gandy.

Judiciary Committee Democrats pointed out Alito's strong record of siding with authority of every kind—employer over employee; government over individual; school over student; and president over everyone. They also focused on Alito's attempt to dismantle the Family and Medical Leave Act, his insensitivity to claims of discrimination, his belief in the unrestricted presidential powers, and his disregard for the rights of individuals.

"This nominee is opposed to women's rights on every count," Gandy said. "His record is 20 years long. He was the architect of a plan to overturn Roe v. Wade. He has repeatedly ignored privacy rights. He made it infinitely harder to bring claims of sex discrimination and sexual harassment. There is nothing on his resume or in his numerous opinions that suggests that he would be support our fundamental rights".

"As Sen. Feinstein said in the committee this morning, if you know someone is not going to respect the rights that are explicit in our laws, in previous court rulings, in the Constitution, then you have to stand up," Gandy said. "It's time for every senator who supports women's rights to stand up with her."