Pro-Life Leaders Cautious About Specter's 'Deal' with Fellow Republicans
by Bill Fancher and Jody Brown
November 22, 2004
(AgapePress) - Pro-life advocates are upset that Republican senators have struck a deal that will allow pro-abortion Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter to chair the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee.Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter has won the backing of Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans to be their new chairman, despite complaints from several pro-life and religious groups. The nine Judiciary Republicans agreed they will stand behind Specter in January's vote for chairman despite his statement after this month's elections that pro-life judges would have a difficult time gaining Senate confirmation, given Democratic opposition.
That comment infuriated pro-lifers and Senate conservatives, many of whom voiced their strong concern about having a staunch supporter of Roe v. Wade as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which approves judicial nominees. But after almost two weeks of calling on Senate Republicans not too allow Specter to move into the chairmanship, his opponents heard him state at a news conference there would not be any barriers to judges who oppose Roe v. Wade. "I have not and would not apply a litmus test to deny confirmation to pro-life nominees," the fifth-term senator stated.
Some have called the deal struck with Committee Republicans a "betrayal" of those who worked so hard for the Republican Party in the last election. Jan LaRue of Concerned Women for America, reacting to Specter's most recent statement, says "You could drive a truck through that loophole." She contends the senator said nothing different than he has since November 3, when he made the statement that precipitated the ruckus.
"He also refused to support the so-called 'nuclear option' to end filibustering of judges preferring instead to try other means," the CWA chief counsel observes. She has some advice for Specter, saying that instead of warning the president not to send pro-life judges to the Committee, he should be warning Democrats who filibustered ten nominees the past two years about what he will do.
"He will resist filibustering and caution Democrats that they better stop trying to do that or they'll end up at 'home on the range' with Tom Daschle," she proposes. But LaRue and other pro-life leaders have indicated they would not trust Specter even if he makes such a warning to Democrats.
For example, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council says he has no doubt Specter's mettle will be tested during judicial hearings.
"The question of abortion will certainly be raised during confirmation hearings of federal judges," the FRC president says, "and we expect Senator Specter to respect the will of the American people, the will of most of his Republican colleagues, and the judicial philosophy of President Bush. This is an issue that will not subside, and the integrity of Senator Specter's word will be tested through his leadership on the Judiciary Committee.
Perkins adds that his organization intends hold the Pennsylvania lawmaker accountable. Also watching will be Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family.
"The senator will have ample opportunity in his new position to follow through on his pledged support for the values of the Bush administration, the Senate leadership, and the majority of this nation's voters," Dobson says in a press release. "The Republican Senate leaders have signed off on Arlen Specter assuming this important position -- we put our trust in their judgment and in their diligence in holding him accountable."
But Dobson remains wary. "We will be watching Senator Specter closely -- and reporting on him fully," he promises.
