Democratic Women United - May 19, 2005

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to denounce the Republican abuse of power. Right now, the Senate Republicans are trying to jam through judicial nominations that will hurt the American people, as well as women.

Specifically, I am extremely concerned about the nomination of Janice Rogers Brown from California. Her views are out of the mainstream and out of touch with American values, and this is why: she was the only member of the California Supreme Court to find that a jury should not hear expert testimony in a domestic violence case about Battered Women Syndrome. Janice Rogers Brown was the only member of the court to oppose an effort to stop the sale of cigarettes to children. She even said that a manager could use racial slurs against his Latino employees.

Her record is clear. She does not protect the rights of workers, women, or minorities. She is so far out of the mainstream that she, in my opinion, is viewed as extreme. We cannot allow the Senate Republicans to abuse their power to jam through such extreme judicial appointments.

Our current and effective system of checks and balances protects our judicial branch. The American public must be shielded from individuals like her.