Bush Withdraws Controversial Federal Judge Nomination

Facing the Democratic majority in Congress and certain opposition from Senate Democrats, President Bush has withdrawn four of his federal judicial nominations, including the nomination of Michael Wallace to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. This is welcome news since Wallace’s record as an attorney raised serious questions about his ability to fairly adjudicate questions regarding reproductive rights. He has demonstrated hostility toward abortion issues and providers. NAF strongly opposed his nomination because we did not believe that his actions as a judge would be objective when considering matters involving abortion.

Judges in the federal courts are appointed for life by the President. The nominations that Bush makes now will influence the outcome of many cases, including cases protecting a woman’s right to choose abortion. We hope the Bush Administration will acknowledge Americans’ desire for an independent judiciary and nominate judges who can fairly rule on matters such as abortion.

>Learn more about the federal court system and the importance of judicial nominations.