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For Immediate Release
December 15, 2005
Contact: Karen Finney - 202-863-8148
Ashcroft Values on the Supreme Court?
Washington, DC - According to the New York Times, former Attorney General John
Ashcroft has decided to sign a letter endorsing Judge Samuel Alito's nomination
to the Supreme Court. This follows recent efforts by conservative groups to
defend Alito's "argument that the police were justified in strip-searching the
young daughter of a man suspected of dealing drugs." 12/14/05]
"Ashcroft's support for Alito raises important questions: Are the views of
Bush's latest nominee to the Supreme Court out of step with most Americans?
Will Bush's nominee bring the Supreme Court together or divide it?" said
Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney. "As the
head of Bush's Justice Department, John Ashcroft repeatedly sought to erode
Americans' personal and civil liberties. Ashcroft's support for Alito is
troubling."
Alito Dissented in 10-1 Decision on Gender Discrimination. Alito was the lone
dissenter in a 10-1 decision of the full Third Circuit Court of Appeals in a
case concerning gender discrimination, Sheridan v. E.I.DuPont de Nemours and
Co. In this case, Alito's opinion would have prevented a woman claiming gender
discrimination from going to a jury trial, despite the fact she had evidence
that her employer's claim that it had legitimate grounds to deny her a
promotion was a pretext for the employer's allegedly discriminatory measures.
Alito Denied Claims of Egregious Sexual Harassment. In Robinson v. City of
Pittsburgh, Judge Alito wrote for a three-judge panel denying a female police
officer's sexual harassment claims, despite the alleged egregious actions of
her supervisor, consisting of "unhooking her bra, snapping her bra strap,
touching her hair and ears, telling her 'you stink pretty,' making comments
about the size of her breasts, blowing her a kiss, asking her out for a drink,
touching her leg under a table, putting his hands around her waist, dropping
his keys down the back of her shirt and attempting to retrieve them, and
describing the position in which he and Robinson would have sex if they were to
do so."
Alito Wanted to Impose Huge Evidentiary Burden in Employee Discrimination
Cases. In his dissent in Bray v. Marriot, Alito argued for an evidentiary
burden on victims of employment discrimination that, according to the majority,
would have "eviscerated" legal protections provided by Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act. The majority opinion also stated that Alito's position would
protect employers from discrimination suits when an employer chooses a "best"
candidate based on "conscious racial bias" - that is, by failing to even
consider members of a protected class.
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Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.
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