Voted for abortion ban, but wants Court to overturn it 

Contact: Sarah Rode, Concerned Women for America, 202-488-7000 ext. 127

WASHINGTON, April 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) expressed his disappointment yesterday that the Supreme Court would uphold a law that he voted to pass in 2003.  He stated during a press conference following the 5-4 decision to uphold the partial-birth abortion ban, "A lot of us wish that Alito weren't there and O'Connor were there."  Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the majority opinion in 2000, overturning Nebraska's partial birth abortion ban.  Justice Samuel Alito, who replaced her, voted to uphold the ban passed by Congress.

Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), said, "Denouncing a Supreme Court Justice for upholding a law that Sen. Reid voted for reveals Sen. Reid's true beliefs and sneaky tactics.   Sen. Reid voted for the partial-birth abortion ban, yet he also voted for amendments that would have gutted the ban.  His statement that he would rather have a justice on the Court who overturned the ban than a justice who upheld it reveals his modus operandi -- act one way in actions that voters will see, yet vigorously work to ensure the opposite is the final result.  Sen. Reid's comment reveals a sly ploy of some politicians -- portraying themselves as pro-life to the folks back home, but working for opposite results when in D.C.

"Fortunately, President Bush appointed justices to the Supreme Court who believe their job is to interpret the Constitution, not legislate from the bench.  Despite Reid's desire for the courts to do what he did not, the justices did their job and upheld the law."

Concerned Women for America is the nations largest public policy women's organization.