Supreme Court Update

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has been a voice of reason and distinction since she was appointed as the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981. She was the critical vote, time and again, to uphold the constitutional right to privacy as guaranteed by Roe v. Wade.

All eyes will be on President Bush as he selects a nominee to replace her. The confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is a political act, with serious political consequences.

As I anticipate the coming confirmation process, I remember vividly the battle when the first President Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. Can we ever forget the image of the all-white, all-male Senate Judiciary Committee — all 14 of them — grilling Anita Hill and questioning her claims of sexual harassment by Thomas?

We learned powerful lessons during that hearing. We learned that when women's rights are pushed aside, women can exact powerful political consequences. Every time a senator dismissed the significance of sexual harassment or attacked Anita Hill, millions of women got angry and looked for political recourse. The firestorm caused by the Thomas/Hill hearing led to the "Year of the Woman," when men were defeated and pro-choice Democratic women were elected in historic numbers. Voters even defeated the first President Bush, replacing him with pro-choice Democrat Bill Clinton.

The confirmation process will remind women voters of the impact the Supreme Court has on their lives. Women do not want government intruding into their most personal decisions, decisions that affect them and their families. Women voters are the majority of the electorate. Right-wing extremists trifle with them at their political peril.

We also learned during the Thomas hearing the importance of the Senate's "advise and consent" role, including full and thorough scrutiny of the nominee. The Senate Judiciary Committee should thoroughly investigate the nominee's complete record. Republicans should tone down the partisanship of recent months and refrain from threatening to exert the "nuclear option" to ram through an unacceptable nominee. Voters believe that a lifetime appointment deserves full scrutiny and bipartisan support. We will make certain that message is delivered throughout the confirmation process — and, if necessary, on election day!

Every senator, Republican and Democrat, should understand that women will not stand idle as the right wing attempts to take control of the Supreme Court and impose government interference on our most personal decisions. If that happens, I fully expect to see a political firestorm like the one we saw after the Thomas confirmation.

Contribute

News & Media