Kathleen Gilbert, www.LifeSiteNews.com
Obama's first judicial appointment, billed by White House officials as a moderate pick designed to ease partisan confirmation scuffles, has sparked concern among conservatives who are pointing out the nominee's liberal record on life and other issues and say the pick sets a trend for future left-leaning appointees touted as "moderates."
Obama on Tuesday picked U.S. District Judge David F. Hamilton to the 7th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, saying Hamilton "has a long and impressive record of service and a history of handing down fair and judicious decisions." The GOP senator from Hamilton's home state of Indiana, Richard Lugar, paved the way for Senate confirmation with a statement that he would "enthusiastically support" the pick.
But conservative and pro-life leaders say they are wary of Hamilton, a former ACLU board member, whom they claim has a history of handing down activist decisions. Prominent among the concerns was Hamilton's handling of an Indiana abortion consent law, which would have required abortionists to give patients information on abortion alternatives at least eighteen hours before the scheduled procedure.
Ed Whelan, President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, wrote ironically: "It's far from clear what justifies the ... characterization of Hamilton as a 'moderate'…. maybe Hamilton's extraordinary seven-year-long series of rulings obstructing Indiana's implementation of its law providing for informed consent on abortion?"
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Is anyone even surprised at this point?
