Roundup: Should Abortion Rights Groups Be Reassured on Sotomayor?

May 29, 2009, 10:28am

Obama, Sotomayor agree on "unenumerated rights;" British health department fights releasing details of late-term abortions publicly.

Obama, Sotomayor Agree on "Unenumerated Rights"
Abortion rights supporters should be reassured by White House
spokesperson Robert Gibbs’s comments on Sonia Sotomayor’s position on
"unenumerated rights" in the Constitution, the Washington Post reports.

Facing concerns about the issue from supporters rather than detractors,
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama did not ask
Sotomayor specifically about abortion rights during their interview.
But Gibbs indicated that the White House is nonetheless sure she agrees
with the constitutional underpinnings of Roe v. Wade, which 36 years ago provided abortion rights nationwide.

"In their discussions, they talked about the theory of constitutional
interpretation, generally, including her views on unenumerated rights
in the Constitution and the theory of settled law," Gibbs said. "He
left very comfortable with her interpretation of the Constitution being
similar to that of his."

Would
questioning Sotomayor during her Senate confirmation hearings shed any
more light on her stance on abortion rights? Not necessarily, the Post
argues. "The abortion issue is likely to arise in Sotomayor’s confirmation
hearings in July, in part because of her background as a Catholic. But
she is unlikely to offer any more clarity than have previous nominees.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., for instance, ducked the question
during his 2005 hearings by saying that Roe is ‘settled as a precedent of the court.’"

Doug Laube of Physicians for Reproductive Rights told the AP:

"We’re hoping and counting on her respect for past legal
precedent as an encouraging sign, but we don’t have any direct
evidence…Sure
we’re concerned, and I think most people who are on our side … are
concerned, but we’re happy to take a wait-and-see attitude."

British Health Department Fights Making Public Details of Late-Term Abortions

An anti-choice group in Britain is fighting to have details of late-term abortions made public, and the Department of Health continues to argue that "such information should not be published," BBC News reports.

The ProLife Alliance has argued for five years that information on the conditions involved should be published.

Last July, the Information Commissioner ruled in favour of the group.

But the Department of Health appealed, and so the case was referred to the Information Tribunal.

A spokeswoman from Marie Stopes International stated, "It could potentially make some of the most vulnerable individuals –
such as girls of 11 or 12 years of age, or women who have undergone a
late gestation abortion on the grounds of fetal disability – liable to
being publicly identified, which could have a hugely detrimental impact
on their mental health."

Other News to Note
May 29: All Africa: How Michelle Obama Can Help Africa

May 29: Des Moines Register: Basu: Press Sotomayor on abortion ‘gag rule’

May 29: The Sun News: Abortion issue can’t be simplified

May 29: WaPo: The Right’s Court Complex

May 29: California Catholic Daily: Join Survivors at the 12th annual ProLife Training Camp

May 28: Kansas City Star: Helping the pro-choice movement?

May 29: Washington Times: Pro-life Catholic leader roots for Sotomayor

May 28: North County Times: OCEANSIDE: Local students make videos about teen pregnancy

May 29: Washington Times: Catholic lawyers debate Obama abortion policy

May 28: Mercury News: Fisher: Still looking for common ground

May 28: Telegraph & Argus (UK): Number of teen pregnancies falls

May 28: Atlanticville GMN: Agency essential in curbing rise of teen pregnancy