October 30, 2005
“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that President Bush has missed the opportunity to nominate a candidate who would command wide public support to fill Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s seat on the Supreme Court. Instead of acting to unify our country behind someone who shared Justice O’Connor’s commitment to our Constitution, our civil liberties and our individual rights, he has bowed to political pressure from those who would use the court to advance their radical ideological agenda.
“It is a bitter irony that President Bush would hand down this nomination as thousands gathered in Washington to bid their final respects to Rosa Parks and to celebrate the legacy of civil rights and equality for all Americans that she represented.
“Judge Alito’s record on issues such as discrimination, civil rights, a woman's right to choose and basic labor protections, just to name a few, are far removed from the mainstream and profoundly troubling. I believe that if the Senate fulfills its obligation to examine his record thoroughly, the American people will realize how radical a candidate he is.
“The choice of someone whose credentials are so far from the mainstream can only be seen as an effort by a weakened President to engage the support of his right wing base in hopes that a divisive fight will distract away from the mounting evidence of his administration’s corruption and abuse of the public trust.”
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Barbara Lee Responds to Bush Nomination of Alito
(Oakland, CA) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued the following statement regarding President Bush’s nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the United States Supreme Court:“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that President Bush has missed the opportunity to nominate a candidate who would command wide public support to fill Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s seat on the Supreme Court. Instead of acting to unify our country behind someone who shared Justice O’Connor’s commitment to our Constitution, our civil liberties and our individual rights, he has bowed to political pressure from those who would use the court to advance their radical ideological agenda.
“It is a bitter irony that President Bush would hand down this nomination as thousands gathered in Washington to bid their final respects to Rosa Parks and to celebrate the legacy of civil rights and equality for all Americans that she represented.
“Judge Alito’s record on issues such as discrimination, civil rights, a woman's right to choose and basic labor protections, just to name a few, are far removed from the mainstream and profoundly troubling. I believe that if the Senate fulfills its obligation to examine his record thoroughly, the American people will realize how radical a candidate he is.
“The choice of someone whose credentials are so far from the mainstream can only be seen as an effort by a weakened President to engage the support of his right wing base in hopes that a divisive fight will distract away from the mounting evidence of his administration’s corruption and abuse of the public trust.”