Supreme Court

Among the attacks launched by right-wing leaders against potential nominees for the Supreme Court have been suggestions that an openly gay Supreme Court Justice would be unacceptable. People For the American Way President Michael B. Keegan responded with the following statement: "Let’s be clear. Opposing a Supreme Court nominee because of his or her sexual orientation is inappropriate and unacceptable."

In response to media reports that indicate Justice David Souter will retire from the Supreme Court at the end of the Court's current term, Marge Baker, Executive Vice President at People For the American Way issued the following statement: "America owes a debt of gratitude to Justice Souter for his service. Justice Souter has shown a deep understanding not only of the law, but of the implications the Court's decisions have in the real world. He has been an important voice against ideological extremism. To fill Justice Souter's seat on the Court, President Obama should nominate someone who can continue his work to defend our personal freedoms and ensure that every person has equal access to justice. In November, President Obama was given a mandate to appoint federal judges who are committed to our core constitutional values of justice, equality, and opportunity for all. That is exactly what he should do."

The Supreme Court today ruled that religious monuments on government property constitute government speech in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum. PFAW Foundation President Kathryn Kolbert issued the following statement: "I'm pleased that the Court today made clear that religious monuments like the one the Summum sought to erect are government speech. I'm especially glad the decision acknowledged that the establishment clause provides a limit on what government can use that speech to say. Government shouldn't favor one religion over another or favor any religion over no religion at all." PFAW Foundation filed an amicus brief in the case.

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected an appeal of a lower court decision which upheld the policy of the Fredericksburg, Virginia, City Council requiring that the official prayers recited at the beginning of its meetings be non-sectarian. The decision came in a lawsuit filed by a member of the City Council, Rev. Hashmel Turner, who claims that he has a constitutional right to offer a sectarian prayer as the Council's official opening prayer. The City Council and Mayor were represented in the case on a pro bono basis by Terence Rasmussen and Robert Rolfe of the law firm of Hunton & Williams and by attorneys with People For the American Way Foundation.

Exit polls from CNN provided more evidence that the Supreme Court was a winning issue for Senator Barack Obama. Data from the nationwide survey of voters shows that those who called the Supreme Court a factor in their vote broke for Obama 53 to 45. Voters who called future Supreme Court appointments the most important factor went for Obama even more strongly — 57 to 41. PFAW President Kathryn Kolbert issued the following statement: "This week, voters elected someone who has said he will nominate justices who will protect their personal freedoms and ensure every American equal access to justice."

PFAW's Kolbert: We need a conversation about the Court and the Constitution, not more sleaze from the smearmongers of the Right

The Judicial Confirmation Network, a group of right-wing activists that mobilized support for the Bush administration's efforts to impose its political agenda on the federal judiciary, has launched a mud-slinging ad campaign that is ostensibly about the Supreme Court but does nothing to address the issues at stake for all Americans in the future of the judiciary.