CWA Will Hold Specter Accountable      11/19/2004

Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) warns Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) in the wake of his statement yesterday, that CWA will work for Specter’s immediate removal from the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee if he deviates from his commitments to the American public.

“We are not shifting our gaze from Specter,” said Jan LaRue, CWA’s chief counsel. “He will be held accountable for every action he takes as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The moment he contradicts his concessions to other committee members will require his removal.

“The groundswell of opposition to Specter is based on his 24-year record and cannot be extinguished by his emergency conversion,” added LaRue. “The grassroots who have inundated the Senate with tens of thousands of e-mails and phone calls protesting Specter’s appointment as committee chairman will remain energized in holding Specter accountable.”

Among the promises Specter made yesterday, he vowed that “I would not support Committee action to bottle up legislation or a constitutional amendment, even one which I personally opposed, reserving my own position for the floor.” If Specter wants to prove his loyalty, he must adhere to this promise along with the following actions:

• Sen. Specter must allow a speedy judicial nomination process.

• Sen. Specter must work diligently to prevent filibustering of judicial nominees, even if it requires changing the Senate rules by a so-called nuclear option.

• If the president nominates Justice Clarence Thomas to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sen. Specter must support his nomination.

• Sen. Specter must allow all legislative initiatives aimed at protecting the institution of marriage to move through the Judiciary Committee.

• Sen. Specter must move the legislative priorities of the Republican Caucus through the Judiciary Committee.

For Information Contact:
Valerie Mosher
(202) 488-7000
media.cwfa.org

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