Any Conservative Appointed to Supreme Court Will Be Attacked

An organized and well-funded coalition of liberal interest groups is prepared to launch a hard-hitting, unified campaign of attack, unprecedented in its scope, against any truly conservative nominee President Bush puts forth for the Supreme Court.

As anticipation of a Supreme Court vacancy grew over the past few months-culminating with the July 1 resignation of Sandra Day O'Connor-leaders of liberal activist groups gathered at weekly strategy meetings in Washington, D.C., to plan their attack.

Depending on whom Bush nominates-an announcement is now expected in late July-the coalition of groups is prepared to collaborate and instantly take aim at the nominee. "Within 15 minutes to an hour" of an announcement, People For the American Way (PFAW) President Ralph Neas told the Washington Post, "all the leaders will be talking."

Ready and Waiting

Talking points and dossiers are already prepared and waiting. Leading the plan of attack are three veterans of past judicial confirmation fights-Neas, Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron and Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR). Together, their three organizations make up the backbone of the so-called Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary.

All told, liberal and conservative special interests could spend upwards of $50 million by the time a nominee is confirmed by the Senate. The total might exceed $100 million if Chief Justice William Rehnquist also steps down from the court. And liberal groups aren't to be taken lightly. With aggressive Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) talking about a "war" and more than a million grassroots activists ready to launch a full-scale assault on Bush's nominee, conservatives are scurrying to ready their defenses.

Asked last week about their plans, the liberal interest groups refused to discuss their strategies with HUMAN EVENTS. In fact, PFAW, which initially promised an interview with Vice President Elliot Mincberg, abruptly changed course and refused to comment. Aron's Alliance for Justice, meanwhile, didn't return phone calls. Only Nancy Zirkin, deputy director for the LCCR, spoke to HUMAN EVENTS.