Lieberman Has Turned His Back on Women

[connecticut yankee]

CT NOW Press Release


Connecticut National Organization for Women
135 Broad Street
Hartford, CT 06105
860.524.5978
860.524.1092 fax
www.ct-now.org
Email: [e-mail]
Kathleen Sloan, Executive Director
Rosemary Dempsey, President

For Immediate Release February 1, 2006
Contact Kathleen Sloan, 860-524-5978

LIEBERMAN HAS TURNED HIS BACK ON WOMEN

Senator Lieberman turned his back on this country’s women by refusing to support a filibuster against the confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Judge Alito was confirmed yesterday by a vote of 58-42. While Connecticut NOW recognizes the 42 senators who voted against confirmation, the crucial vote happened the day before, when senators voted on whether or not to end debate on this nomination. Since the Republican leadership had enough votes to confirm Alito, a filibuster was the only way to prevent his confirmation.

Connecticut NOW applauds Senator Dodd for his support of the filibuster. Shamefully his colleague, Senator Lieberman, demonstrated a lack of respect and concern for the women and girls of Connecticut and the nation by his refusal to support the filibuster. Senator Lieberman pointed out that he had studied Samuel Alito’s record carefully and so he was aware of the threat Alito poses to a woman’s most basic constitutional right: to control her own body and decide whether or not to bear a child. As reported by The Hartford Courant, Senator Lieberman stated that he did not support a filibuster because Alito’s confirmation vote did not meet the standard of “extraordinary circumstances” decreed by the Senate “Gang of 14.” “This is a slap in the face to every woman of this state, no matter her political beliefs, economic status or race,” stated Rosemary Dempsey, President of CT NOW. “What could be a more ‘extraordinary circumstance’ than when a woman’s right to make her own reproductive health decisions is seriously threatened?”

The women of Connecticut expected that our senators, who call themselves pro-choice and claim to be supporters of women’s rights, would use every measure available to prevent the confirmation of a judge who undermines and disregards them. Laudably, Senator Dodd did just that; regrettably, Senator Lieberman did not. Senator Lieberman’s vote to shut down debate had the effect of anointing Judge Alito as a Supreme Court Justice. As Kathleen Sloan, Executive Director of CT NOW explained, Senator Lieberman’s vote against Alito on Tuesday was “symbolism without substance”. His failure to support women’s rights at a time when they are most severely threatened by a Supreme Court Justice whose record is replete with contempt for same, makes it highly unlikely that CT NOW will support Lieberman in his bid for re-election.