Organizations Call Upon Senate Judiciary Committee for
"Meaningful Review" of President Obama's Nominees

A letter signed by 30 pro-life leaders and representatives of pro-life organizations, including NRLC Executive Director David N. O'Steen, Ph.D., has been sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, imploring its members not to merely "rubber stamp nominations" that come before the committee. Delivered February 2, the letter referenced three of pro-abortion President Barack Obama's nominations, and was sent to Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), ranking member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), and the committee's remaining ten Democrats and seven Republicans.

"If confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve in high offices within the Department of Justice, Dawn Johnsen, David Ogden, and Thomas J. Perrelli could have a dramatic impact on the state of this nation's legal order," the letter reads. " Each of these nominees has made public comments or has taken positions indicating strong support for a shift in national policy regarding the culture of life."

And what a trio it is.

Dawn Johnsen, formerly Legal Director to NARAL, has been nominated to serve as head of the Office of Legal Counsel.  The OLC provides authoritative legal advice to the President and all the Executive Branch agencies. Johnsen served in the Clinton Administration.  She's also staff Counsel Fellow for the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, which pushes an aggressive abortion agenda in the courts.

The letter pays especial attention to David Ogden, nominated for Deputy Attorney General. It cites several passages from a "friend of the court" brief Ogden filed on behalf of the pro-abortion American Psychological Association in the 1992 Casey v. Planned Parenthood case. According to the Ogden's brief, psychological "risks are negligible" for the  "overwhelming majority of women who undergo abortion."

Perhaps most infamous is Thomas Perrelli, nominated to serve as Associate Attorney General.  Perrelli defended Terri Schiavo's estranged husband against Terri's family in the battle over the husband's desire to withdraw life-sustaining treatment from Terri. "The appointment of Perrelli is hardly a surprise," the letter observes, "President Obama voted with a unanimous Senate to pass the Schiavo bill, but now calls it one of his biggest mistakes." The reference is to "Terri's Law," which was designed  to allow Terri's federal constitutional and statutory civil rights claims to be heard in federal court.

The letter concludes, "Millions of Americans reasonably expect their elected representatives in the Senate to provide meaningful review of the President's nominees, particularly when they could dramatically change national policy. We urge the Committee to provide ample time for meaningful review to take place, and we urge members to ask probative questions of these nominees and demand serious answers so that the American people can continue to play a part in defining the cultural fabric of our nation."