Difference between revisions of "Coalition letter Supreme Court"

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Coalition Letter on the
Pledge for a Pro-Life Nomination for
Justice Scalia’s Seat on the U.S. Supreme Court

Donald J. Trump
President-Elect of the United States

Dear President-Elect Trump,

The undersigned urge you to fulfill your pledge to the American people concerning the U.S. Supreme Court by nominating only those who have a proven pro-life record. Exit polls in the election showed that 21% of voters felt that this issue of the Supreme Court was “the most important factor” in determining for whom they voted. Among that group of voters, you defeated your opponent by a landslide of 15%, 56-41%.

As you stated during the campaign and in your 60 Minutes interview after your election, you are pro-life and you pledged to nominate justices to the Supreme Court who are pro-life. In addition, Phyllis Schlafly and other conservatives endorsed you in reliance on your public pledge to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia with someone as close to his views as possible.

Justice Scalia never ducked the abortion issue, and always sided with the pro-life position. His replacement should be nothing less.

You indicated that you will make your nomination from a list of 21 candidates that was provided to you by others. Unfortunately, the list omits any women who have a pro-life record, and includes a total of only four women out of 21. This was probably an oversight, because many well-qualified women with pro-life records are available for nomination, and they should be considered for this important position. For example, Judge Jennifer Elrod of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has credentials equal to or better than those on the list, and she would be an outstanding nominee for Justice Scalia’s seat.

Attempts to nominate a “stealth” candidate lacking in a record on abortion was the failed approach of the past, and would be inconsistent with the transparency of your incoming Administration. Despite that, at least a half-dozen of the candidates on the list lack a pro-life record. We urge you not to consider these candidates lacking a pro-life record for the position of Justice Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court. Several of these judges on the list have even written or spoken in ways that are at odds with the pro-life position.

Candidates who lack a pro-life record include, for example, Judges Diane Sykes, Steven Colloton, Raymond Kethledge, and Neil Gorsuch, and Justices Allison Eid and Joan Larsen. In addition, each of these judges has either ruled against the pro-life position or has otherwise shown an unwillingness to be publicly pro-life. (See Appendix for details.) That disqualifies them from filling Justice Scalia’s seat, particularly in light of how better candidates are available to be nominated.

Outstanding Candidates

In addition to Judge Elrod as recommended above, her elder colleague Judge Edith Jones would also be a stellar choice. She is likewise a female jurist who has qualifications superior to most on the current list, and yet was inexplicably omitted.

There are several outstanding candidates who have pro-life records that would fulfill your pledge. For example, Justice Charles Canady of the Florida Supreme Court, who is on your current list, would be a fabulous nominee. Judges Elrod and Jones, and Justice Canady, are all experienced judges who have been transparent about their views and have an unblemished record on the bench. Any of these would be a tremendous addition to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Conclusion

Justice Antonin Scalia is, in many ways, impossible to replace. But several well-qualified candidates having a pro-life record are available for selection, as explained above, and the undersigned urge your nomination of one of them to fulfill your pledge of replacing Justice Scalia with someone like him. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Andrew Schlafly, Esq.
Legal Center for Defense of Life (Far Hills, NJ, ph: 908-719-8608, email: aschlafly@aol.com)

Michael J.A. Robb, M.D.
Association of American Physicians & Surgeons

Janet Porter
Faith2Action

Michelle A. Cretella, M.D., FCP
American College of Pediatricians

Bobby Schindler
Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network

Brian Westbrook
Coalition for Life St. Louis

Ambassador Faith Whittlesey
Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, Reagan Administration
Member of the Donald Trump White House Advisory Committee/Team

Jared Woodfill, Esq.
Conservative Republicans of Texas   Bradley Mattes
Life Issues Institute

Jennifer Powell, M.D.
Missouri Chapter, Association of American Physicians & Surgeons

Luke Bauman
Human Life Alliance

David McKalip, M.D.
Florida Chapter, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons

Jim Backlin
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
Christian Coalition of America

Ed Martin, Esq.
Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund
Republican National Coalition for Life

Robert Hurley, M.D.
President Emeritus, Credo of the Catholic Laity

Tammy Kobza
Iowa Eagle Forum

Jayne Schindler
Colorado Eagle Forum

Joseph Stanton, Esq.
Pro-Life Lawyer’s Guild of South East Pennsylvania

Sandi Ruggles
Eagle Forum Wisconsin

C.E.Pfeifer
Fran Bevan
Eagle Forum of Pennsylvania

Cherilyn Eagar
Phyllis Schlafly Eagles of Utah

Ann Marie Bowen
Nebraskans United for Life

Eric Olsen
Montana Eagle Forum
Montana Shrugged Group

Troy Newman
Operation Rescue

Mary Lou Gartner
People Concerned for the Unborn Child (Pittsburgh)

Nick Adams
The Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness

Jerri Ward, Esq.
Phyllis Schlafly Eagles of Texas

John Eidsmoe, Lt. Colonel, USAF(Ret.)
Professor of Constitutional Law, Oak Brook College of Law & Government Policy

David Usher
Cynthia Davis
Center for Marriage Policy

Cathy Gilmore
Virtue Inc./VIRTUE WORKS MEDIA

Frank D. Tinari, Ph.D.
Editor, ProLife News Briefs
Mayor Emeritus, Florham Park Borough, NJ
Professor Emeritus, Seton Hall University

Jean M. Heise
President Emeritus
The Haven Network (a perinatal hospice in N. ILL)

Larry Cirignano
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
Children First Foundation

Zip Rzeppa
Founder, Executive Director
Mater Media

Christopher A. Ferrara, J.D.
President and Chief Counsel
American Catholic Lawyers Association

Daniel Rabourdin
Founder & Producer
For you Joan, LLC

Mindy Patterson
Calvary Group

Paul Hagan
President
Custos Veritas

Dennis Howard
Movement for a Better America, Inc.

Stephen Perkowski
Morris County Right To Life (NJ)

Eleanor Finneran
Founder and President
Marian Centre of St. Louis

Joan Fasanello
Life Choices, Inc.

Rev. Paul T. Stallsworth
Cindy Evans
Lifewatch/TUMAS
Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion & Sexuality

Ralph A. Capone, M.D., FACP
Saint Gianna Sodality for the Sanctity of Human Life

Sean T. Flanagan
Legatus, Domestic Church Media
Good Counsel Homes

Tricia Erickson
Angel Pictures & Publicity, Inc., a Publicity & Crisis Communications Company 
Jim O’Laughlin
Catholic Radio Network

Steve Koob
One More Soul

Zina Hackworth
This Race Will Self-Destruct

Lu Cortese
St. Joseph Radio

Lou Holtmann
John Struckhoff
Faith Based Voters

Frieda Keough
Judy Sofka
Missouri Precinct Project

Aaron D. Wolf
The Rockford Institute

Connie Eller
Missouri Blacks for Life

Donald Thomson
Westmoreland County (PA) Conservative Coalition

Marlene Wohleber
People Concerned for the Unborn Child, Pittsburgh
LIFEPAC SW Pennsylvania Pro-Life Political Action Committee

Gregory Quinlan
Center For Garden State Families

Ted Meehan
Executive Director
Pennsylvania Catholics Network
Legislative Director
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Coalition

Kyleen Wright
Texans for Life Coalition

Mary Maschmeier
Defenders of the Unborn

Terry Lowry
What’s UP Radio Program – Texas

Dran Reese
President, The Salt and Light Council

Jeff Salvino
The Daily Salvo

Jeff Steigerwalt
Pennsylvania Delegate to Republican National Convention

Appendix

Although included in the list of 21, the following six candidates lack any pro-life record and have even shown an unwillingness to take a pro-life position publicly:

1. Judge Diane Sykes ruled against a pro-life Indiana law and required taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. As a state court judge, she sentenced two veteran abortion protesters to 60 days in jail.

2. Judge Steven Colloton wrote or joined multiple pro-abortion opinions: one to eviscerate a pro-life South Dakota law, another to side with a fellow pro-abort judge against a pro-life Nebraska law, and a third to side with a pro-abort judge to come down hard on a pro-life internet activist.

3. Justice Joan L. Larsen has no experience as a federal judge and only recently became a state court judge. Before that she was a law professor who repeatedly mentioned Roe v. Wade without criticizing it. She clerked for Justice Scalia but many of his clerks were not pro-life. She is similar to David Souter in her weakness in writing ability, which makes her susceptible to influence by the liberal media.

4. Neil Gorsuch wrote about abortion using the terminology of the pro-abortion side, without ever referring to the “unborn child.” As a federal judge he has avoided mentioning abortion but has favorably cited the pro-abortion Harry Blackmun decision that gave abortionists legal standing to challenge pro-life laws. Also, while religious beliefs are not a test for public office, Gorsuch’s Episcopalian church has publicly declared its “unequivocal opposition” to pro-life laws and he has said nothing publicly pro-life.

5. Judge Raymond Kethledge joined a decision that favorably cited a precedent censoring a pro-life advertisement, and held against allowing a Christian advertisement too.

6. Justice Allison Eid has been unwilling to speak out on pro-life side. She tersely dissented from a denial of cert. before the Colorado Supreme Court in a challenge to an injunction against abortion protesters, initially on only the limited grounds of the length of the injunction and then later only on free speech grounds.