Courts: 1989 Document Shows Miers' Anti-Abortion Stance

Courts: 1989 Document Shows Miers' Anti-Abortion Stance

--"The hazy profile of Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers sharpened with disclosures on her opposition to abortion and her personal finances that could comfort disgruntled social conservatives while pressuring Democrats to oppose her," the Wall Street Journal <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112964663840171951.html?mod=home_whats_news_us> reports. "In a questionnaire and materials submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee [Tuesday], Ms. Miers included a 1989 document from her successful campaign for Dallas City Council in which she backed a constitutional amendment outlawing nearly all abortions." (Subscription Required)

--Miers said she would support such a ban "except when it was needed to save a mother's life," USA Today <http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20051019/1a_bottomstrip19.art.htm> reports. She "also said that if the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal nationwide, she would back legislation in Texas to prohibit abortions except in such emergencies."

--Miers also "acknowledged that the Washington, D.C., Bar Association had suspended her legal practice in the district because of nonpayment of dues," the Dallas Morning News <http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/djackson/stories/DN-miers_19nat.ART0.State.Edition3.1397f94c.html> reports.

--Meanwhile, more documents released Tuesday "reveal that the Bush administration's vetting of" Miers "was controlled by a few insiders, a stark contrast to what Chief Justice John Roberts experienced as a contender for a court seat two months earlier," USA Today <http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20051019/a_miersinside19.art.htm> reports. "Miers, 60, said that during the two weeks before" President Bush "nominated her Oct. 3, she spoke with her deputy William Kelley, White House chief of staff Andy Card and the president and learned 'my name was under consideration.' She said she met with Bush four times -- on Sept. 21, 28 and 29, and Oct. 2 -- to discuss the possibility of her being nominated."

--Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., "are calling for the White House to turn over internal documents related to" Miers' "service as White House counsel, breaking with Republican colleagues who say the boundaries of executive privilege must not be pushed," The Hill <http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/101905/news2.html> reports. "Perhaps anticipating Republican demands for internal memos, White House staff members [Tuesday] told Senate GOP staffers that the White House will provide evidence illuminating Miers's legal thinking in action."

--And Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., suggested Tuesday "that he may end up supporting" Miers, "even as a prominent Democrat echoed Republican concerns about a lack of information" about her, The Hill <http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/101905/news3.html> reports. "Lott's possible support could trigger momentum for the Miers nomination among conservative members of the Senate."

Source: http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/nj/

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