WASHINGTON, DC  -  U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky today joined Representatives Hilda Solis, Rosa DeLauro, Carolyn Maloney, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as well as Marcia Greenberger, President of the National Women’s Law Center, for a press conference to announce their opposition to the appointment of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

Representative Schakowsky’s statement is below:

“For years, right-wing activists and legislators have been working to strip away the reproductive rights of women.  Their efforts have always stopped at the doors of the Supreme Court, which has ruled by bare majorities to uphold the protections in Roe v. Wade.  The court’s swing vote is at stake today.  President Bush has nominated a judge who has acted both as an advocate and a judge to strip away the fundamental rights protected by Roe v. Wade.  While he is trying to cloak himself as a moderate to sneak through the nomination process, Judge Samuel Alito cannot run from his out-of-the-mainstream record on women’s rights.”

“Judge Samuel Alito’s record and judicial philosophy make clear he is not of Sandra Day O’Connor’s mold.  His views and rulings are well to the right of most Americans.  President Bush must have had Samuel Alito in mind when he said he would choose a justice in the mold of Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia to appoint to the Supreme Court.”

“In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Judge Alito ruled that a married woman must inform her husband before having an abortion.  The Supreme Court at that time overruled his extreme decision and decided instead that women should be allowed to make their own reproductive choices.”

“In 1985, Judge Alito wrote on a job application that he was ‘particularly proud’ of contributing to cases arguing ‘that racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion.’ Judge Alito then said he was just applying for a job.  He’s applying for a job now, and we’ll judge him based on his record.”

“In a memo that same year, Judge Alito outlined a strategy for attacking the 1973 Roe ruling and asked ‘What can be made of this opportunity to advance the goals of bringing about the eventual overruling of Roe v. Wade and, in the meantime, of mitigating its effects?’”

“And finally, Judge Alito’s own mother said, ‘Of course he’s against abortion.’ We trust what our mother’s say.’”

“Members of the Senate should say no to Alito, and yes to women’s rights.”