"Judge Neil Gorsuch's judicial opinions and legal writings are marked by scholarship, clear writing, and a scrupulous weighing of the legal precedent and factual evidence," said AUL's Clarke Forsythe, "He is committed to interpreting the Constitution as written and not legislating from the bench, a dangerous practice that leads to tragic decisions like Roe v. Wade."
Contact: Kristi Hamrick, 202-289-1478, press@aul.org
WASHINGTON, March 15, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Americans United for Life's legal team delivered a letter to members of the U.S. Senate this week from AUL's Acting President Clarke Forsythe in support of the nomination Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. "Judge Gorsuch's judicial temperament makes him the right choice to replace the revered Justice Antonin Scalia," said Forsythe, who noted in his letter that "Judge Gorsuch has demonstrated a commitment to constitutional originalism, the separation of governmental powers, and principles of judicial restraint."
Forsythe observed: "When Roe v. Wade was arbitrarily decided by the Supreme Court, without medical evidence or a trial court record of thorough debate, abortion on demand was created out of thin air, based on judicial preferences. It was a sweeping act of judicial overreach and a premier example of what legislating from the bench looks like. A judiciary committed to interpreting – not creating law – is key for respecting the voice of the people through their elected officials."
To learn more about some of judicial principles that impact life in the law and that may be discussed during next week's hearings, check out AUL's SCOTUS101 project here.
MEDIA ADVISORY: AUL Staff attorney Deanna Wallace will be providing daily analysis of the issues discussed during the hearings. For interviews e-mail press@aul.org
Forsythe further emphasized statements made during Judge Gorsuch's 2006 Senate confirmation hearing where he affirmed, "Judges must allow the elected branches of government to flourish and citizens, through their elected representatives, to make laws appropriate to the facts and circumstances of the day. Judges must avoid the temptation to usurp the roles of the legislative and executive branches and must appreciate the advantages these democratic institutions have in crafting and adapting social policy as well as their special authority derived from the consent and mandate of the people, to do so." Judge Gorsuch was confirmed unanimously to the Tenth Circuit.
In the Senate letter, Forsythe also discusses a number of Judge Gorsuch's decisions, including his rationale for protecting First Amendment conscience rights in Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius (later Burwell v. Hobby Lobby before the U.S. Supreme Court). To read the letter in its entirety, click here.
AUL at the Supreme Court.
Since 1972, AUL has been involved in more than 100 federal and state cases across the country and internationally, including every significant abortion-related case before the Supreme Court including Roe v. Wade. AUL has filed more amicus curiae (or "friend of the court") briefs than any other pro-life organization, further solidifying its position as the legal architect of the pro-life movement.
In 1980, Americans United for Life won an historic victory when we successfully defended the Hyde Amendment before the Supreme Court in Harris v. McRae. This important decision upheld federal and state prohibitions on public funding of abortion except to protect the life of the mother.
Our leadership on pro-life law and policy has been recognized four times by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee when AUL was asked to address pro-life concerns in confirmation hearings for Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
To book interviews on the issues addressed at SCOTUS101, in AUL's Senate letter, and during the hearings, e-mail press@aul.org.
Americans United for Life (AUL) is the legal architect of the pro-life movement. We are accumulating victories, building momentum, and advancing a culture of life in America. Our vision is a nation in which everyone is welcomed in life and protected in law. The first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life since 1971.
