It's Justice Samuel Alito's first day too. Wow, that didn't take long at all. The case deals with a challenge to a federal law outlawing late-term abortion. The NY Times reports:
The case accepted by the court today does not involve a challenge to the core ruling that established a legal right to abortion, Roe v. Wade. But it is certain to rekindle questions of whether the court in the post-O'Connor era will be more sympathetic to efforts to limit abortion rights.
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a plaintiff in the case, reacted angrily to the news. "The Supreme Court's decision to hear this case is a dangerous act of hostility aimed squarely at women's health and safety," the group's president, Cecile Richards, said in a statement. "Despite 33 years of Supreme Court precedent that women's health matters, the court has decided it will once again take up this issue."
Also, from the WaPo:
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., , who has in the past expressed the view that the Constitution does not protect the right to abortion, replaced O'Connor while Chief Justice John G. Roberts replaced the late William H. Rehnquist
...
The case does not challenge the core holding of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion. It is highly significant, however, that the court chose to review the lower courts' holding as there has been little difference among them. The action suggests that at least four justices -- the number required to review a case -- probably disagree with the lower courts in one way or the other.
The changed makeup of the court was on the minds of both sides of the abortion issue today.
"Every court that has examined the federal abortion ban has struck it down because, among other things, the ban does not protect women's health," read a statement from Planned Parenthood of America, a participant in the case.
Good thing the Dem leadership chose a Senate candidate here in PA who would have voted to not confirm wackjobs like Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts from getting on the bench! Oh wait, they didn't.
If it were Sen. Pennacchio on the Senate floor, and this is assuming the wackjobs got passed the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Pennacchio would have voted NO on their confirmation. We should all be supporting the real Progressive Democrat in this upcoming Democratic primary on May 16th. Vote Chuck.
Conviction wins.
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