Politics: USA: Judge Priscilla Owens confirmed by Senate at end of protracted conflict

After four years in nomination limbo, a Texas Supreme Court justice Priscilla Owens, black female and conservative philosophically was named by a 55-43 vote in the 100-member Senate, to become seated on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisana and holds jurisdiction over that state, Texas, and Mississippi. During the four years of waiting, President Bush consistently maintained his nomination of the Texan whom he had known for many years with deep appreciation. And just as persistently, the Leftwing battered this jurist with all sorts of distortions of her record, because of ideological resentment. Sen. Charles Schumer was the lead attacker who misrepresented the judge's record due to her penchant for a strict construction of the law as enacted. Owens was not among those who enjoyed judicial re-write of statues and codes, which brawt her into dissonance in regard to certain dominant opinions among her colleagues who think the poor should always win a case against a corporation, no matter what the legislature has written. But Owens equally stuck to the letter, spirit, and intent of law - even against the mitey in cases where they were on the wrong end of what justice demanded of a strict constructionist approach. - Owlb

Update May 26, 1:30 PM EST: In today's Washington Times (WaT), the real reason for the intensity of opposition to Justice Priscilla Owens, who won handily once the filidbuster tactic of the Democrats was defeated by the constitutional option of Sen Majority Leader, Bill Frist, the real reason comes to lite: Owens nomination by President Bush was resisted due to the Dem Sens applying the abortion litmus test. These guys/gals wanted Owens, who is a black female of conservative juridical philosophy, defeated; they wanted her defeated because she is not an all-out pro-abortionist. Charles Hurt reports in WaT:

"Priscilla Owen has voted against a woman's right to choose in every abortion-related opinion," said <Eleanor Smeal, president of Feminist Majority Foundation. ¶ "In particular, liberals oppose Justice Owen for declining in several cases to allow juveniles to bypass the Texas law requiring that minors notify their parents before undergoing an abortion."

Priscilla Owen's confirmation to the 5th Circuit Court's panel of justices was held up for four years because of this reason, apparently unmentioned in the Senate, or at least were it mentioned in all its vigor, yet not forcely brawt to the attention of the public by the news media. We almost lost a good judge in an important court - covering Federal matters in Missisippi, Louisiana, and Texas where abortion issues take a very different cast than in New York City and New England where even the self-identified Catholic politicos (and perhaps judges) have no other thawt in their head than an absolute rite of every women to choose to end a life in the womb under each and every possible circumstance. There's something horribly unnuanced in the jurisprudence for which Smeal and her Senate ally, Charles Schumer (Dem, NY), who kept this reason for his nonconfirmation vote quite hidden. There was no deference to the fact that millions of American women think his and her position are unconscionable. - Owlb

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