ChuckD
The Gay Lord of Freestyle
George W. Bush has signaled his intention to continue his all-out
assault on women, working people, lesbian/gay/bi/trans communities,
civil liberties and civil rights. It is vital that we examine the
nomination of John G. Roberts, and ask how such a reactionary appointment could be made and, more importantly, how we can push back the Bush attack and what social and political forces can be mobilized in the struggle
Judge John G. Roberts has built his career advancing the far-right
agendas of the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He has worked to overturn
abortion rights, blur the separation between church and state, undermine
affirmative action, and advance a narrow right-wing interpretation of the
Constitution.
Roberts is a member of two prominent, right-wing legal organizations that advance a reactionary legal philosophy: the pro-corporate, anti-affirmative
action, and anti-union Federalist Society; and the National Legal
Center For The Public Interest, a legal research group funded by General Motors, Ford, Texaco, Exxon-Mobile, and Gulf, as well as right wing millionaire
Richard Mellon Scaife.
Women’s Rights
Immediately after President Bush announced his selection of Roberts,
Operation Rescue, an organization founded to terrorize women, obstruct
reproductive freedom, and shut down health clinics, issued a press
release saying, “Operation Rescue supports this selection. Roberts has shown strong conservative credentials with indications that he will not uphold Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that decriminalized abortion.”
The anti-choice homophobe Gary Bauer promptly issued a statement
hailing Roberts as "a refreshing nominee who possesses an outstanding record of judicial accomplishment as well as a commitment to judicial restraint
long missing from so many activist courts."
Roberts’ record makes it clear why he has gathered such enthusiasm from
far-right religious fundamentalists.
As Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts filed an amicus curiae brief in
the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) case against Operation Rescue — in support of Operation Rescue, and in support of individuals who
illegally blocked access to clinics.
As Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts argued in a brief before the
Supreme Court that "we continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be overruled. The Court’s conclusion in Roe that there is a fundamental right to an abortion...finds no support in the text, structure, or
history of the Constitution."
As a Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts co-wrote a Supreme Court brief
in Rust v. Sullivan, which argued that the government could prohibit
doctors in federally funded family planning programs from discussing abortions
with their patients.
Workers Rights
Roberts was lead counsel for Toyota in Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Ky,
Inc. v. Williams. This case involved a woman who was fired after she asked
Toyota for accommodations to do her job after being diagnosed with carpal
tunnel syndrome. The court ruled that while this condition impaired her
ability to work, it did not impair her ability to perform major life activities.
The Geneva Conventions
Roberts was part of the three-judge panel that last week upheld
President Bush's military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, supporting the Bush Administrations assertion that the Geneva Conventions and other
international law did not apply to detainees held there. Neal K.
Katyal, a lead lawyer for one of the plaintiffs in this case and a Georgetown
University law professor, called the decision "contrary to 200 years of
constitutional law."
Civil Rights
After a Supreme Court decision effectively nullified certain sections
of the Voting Rights Act, Roberts was involved in the Reagan administration's
effort to prevent Congress from overturning the Supreme Court's action.
Roberts also filed an amicus brief in Adarand v. Mineta in Oct. 2001,
supporting a challenge to federal affirmative action programs.
The Environment
As a member of the Solicitor General's office, Mr. Roberts was the lead
counsel for the United States in the Supreme Court case Lujan v.
National Wildlife Federation, in which the government argued that private
citizens could not sue the federal government for violations of environmental
regulations.
In his private practice, Roberts has also represented numerous large
corporate interests opposing environmental controls. He submitted an
amicus brief on behalf of the National Mining Association in the recent case
Bragg v. West Virginia Coal Association.
Church & State
While working with the Solicitor General's office, Roberts co-wrote an
amicus brief on behalf of the Bush administration, in which he argued
that public high schools can include religious ceremonies in their
graduation programs.
assault on women, working people, lesbian/gay/bi/trans communities,
civil liberties and civil rights. It is vital that we examine the
nomination of John G. Roberts, and ask how such a reactionary appointment could be made and, more importantly, how we can push back the Bush attack and what social and political forces can be mobilized in the struggle
Judge John G. Roberts has built his career advancing the far-right
agendas of the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He has worked to overturn
abortion rights, blur the separation between church and state, undermine
affirmative action, and advance a narrow right-wing interpretation of the
Constitution.
Roberts is a member of two prominent, right-wing legal organizations that advance a reactionary legal philosophy: the pro-corporate, anti-affirmative
action, and anti-union Federalist Society; and the National Legal
Center For The Public Interest, a legal research group funded by General Motors, Ford, Texaco, Exxon-Mobile, and Gulf, as well as right wing millionaire
Richard Mellon Scaife.
Women’s Rights
Immediately after President Bush announced his selection of Roberts,
Operation Rescue, an organization founded to terrorize women, obstruct
reproductive freedom, and shut down health clinics, issued a press
release saying, “Operation Rescue supports this selection. Roberts has shown strong conservative credentials with indications that he will not uphold Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that decriminalized abortion.”
The anti-choice homophobe Gary Bauer promptly issued a statement
hailing Roberts as "a refreshing nominee who possesses an outstanding record of judicial accomplishment as well as a commitment to judicial restraint
long missing from so many activist courts."
Roberts’ record makes it clear why he has gathered such enthusiasm from
far-right religious fundamentalists.
As Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts filed an amicus curiae brief in
the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) case against Operation Rescue — in support of Operation Rescue, and in support of individuals who
illegally blocked access to clinics.
As Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts argued in a brief before the
Supreme Court that "we continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be overruled. The Court’s conclusion in Roe that there is a fundamental right to an abortion...finds no support in the text, structure, or
history of the Constitution."
As a Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts co-wrote a Supreme Court brief
in Rust v. Sullivan, which argued that the government could prohibit
doctors in federally funded family planning programs from discussing abortions
with their patients.
Workers Rights
Roberts was lead counsel for Toyota in Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Ky,
Inc. v. Williams. This case involved a woman who was fired after she asked
Toyota for accommodations to do her job after being diagnosed with carpal
tunnel syndrome. The court ruled that while this condition impaired her
ability to work, it did not impair her ability to perform major life activities.
The Geneva Conventions
Roberts was part of the three-judge panel that last week upheld
President Bush's military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, supporting the Bush Administrations assertion that the Geneva Conventions and other
international law did not apply to detainees held there. Neal K.
Katyal, a lead lawyer for one of the plaintiffs in this case and a Georgetown
University law professor, called the decision "contrary to 200 years of
constitutional law."
Civil Rights
After a Supreme Court decision effectively nullified certain sections
of the Voting Rights Act, Roberts was involved in the Reagan administration's
effort to prevent Congress from overturning the Supreme Court's action.
Roberts also filed an amicus brief in Adarand v. Mineta in Oct. 2001,
supporting a challenge to federal affirmative action programs.
The Environment
As a member of the Solicitor General's office, Mr. Roberts was the lead
counsel for the United States in the Supreme Court case Lujan v.
National Wildlife Federation, in which the government argued that private
citizens could not sue the federal government for violations of environmental
regulations.
In his private practice, Roberts has also represented numerous large
corporate interests opposing environmental controls. He submitted an
amicus brief on behalf of the National Mining Association in the recent case
Bragg v. West Virginia Coal Association.
Church & State
While working with the Solicitor General's office, Roberts co-wrote an
amicus brief on behalf of the Bush administration, in which he argued
that public high schools can include religious ceremonies in their
graduation programs.
