Wednesday, May 1, 2002

As organizations that represent thousands of Texans concerned about consumer, worker, women's and civil rights, we are writing to express our strong opposition to the confirmation of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. As was made clear when the Senate Judiciary Committee held a complete hearing and rejected the nomination last year, Justice Owen's record demonstrates that she is an activist judge whose opinions not only stray far beyond the American mainstream but also are often far to the right of the conservative majority of her own court.

Texas Ad Hoc Coalition on Judicial Nominations letter to the Senate


May 1, 2002

RE: Oppose confirmation of Priscilla Owen

Dear Senator:

As organizations that represent thousands of Texans concerned about consumer, worker, women's and civil rights, we are writing to express our strong opposition to the confirmation of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. As was made clear when the Senate Judiciary Committee held a complete hearing and rejected the nomination last year, Justice Owen's record demonstrates that she is an activist judge whose opinions not only stray far beyond the American mainstream but also are often far to the right of the conservative majority of her own court.

Despite the efforts by Senator Hatch to recast Owen’s record at a second Judiciary Committee hearing this March, it remains sharply clear to those of us who have closely followed her judicial career that her opinions reveal a troubling hostility towards employee rights, discrimination protections, reproductive rights, public information rights, environmental protection, and consumer and citizen rights, often producing criticism by the majority of her fellow justices.

We continue to believe that there are many mainstream Texas judges who are well qualified to fill this position, including several Republicans appointed to the Texas bench by President Bush when he was Governor. We encourage you to withhold your support for judicial nominees who do not reflect mainstream American values. The Senate Judiciary Committee was correct to reject Owen’s nomination last year, and we urge you to support all efforts, including a filibuster if necessary, to reject her nomination on the Senate floor.

Sincerely,

On behalf of the Texas Ad Hoc Coalition on Judicial Nominees


Sarah J. Wheat
Craig McDonald
Texas Abortion and Reproductive
Texans for Public Justice
Rights Action League

Texas Ad Hoc Coalition on Judicial Nominees
P.O. Box 684602,
Austin, Texas 78768.
PH: 512-462-1661.

Texas organizations that oppose the nomination of Priscilla Owen
to the Fifth Circuit Court include:

American Association of University Women of Texas
Gray Panthers of Texas
Greater Dallas Coalition for Reproductive Freedom
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF)
National Council of Jewish Women, Texas
National Organization for Women, Texas Chapter
Planned Parenthood Association of Hidalgo County
Planned Parenthood Association of Lubbock
Planned Parenthood of Cameron and Willacy Counties
Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas
Planned Parenthood of North Texas
Planned Parenthood of San Antonio & South Central Texas
Planned Parenthood of South Texas
Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capital Region
Planned Parenthood of West Texas
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in Texas
Texas Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (TARAL)
Texas Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
Texas AFL-CIO
Texas Civil Rights Project
Texas Employment Lawyers Association
Texas Freedom Network
Texans for Public Justice
Texas State Conference of NAACP Branches
Texas Watch
Texas Women's Political Caucus
Women's Health and Family Planning Association of Texas
Women's Issues Network-Dallas