Shortly after his election to a second term, President Bush nominated Alberto Gonzales, current White House Counsel, to be Attorney General of the United States. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on January 6, 2005, where Mr. Gonzales gave testimony and answered Senators' questions about his record and background. Three law professors and scholars also testified before the Judiciary Committee regarding Mr. Gonzales' nomination and the role of the Attorney General in the United States. The Senate voted 60-36 to confirm Mr. Gonzales on Thursday, February 3, 2005.
Although choice issues did not take a front seat during the confirmation hearing, three Senators asked Mr. Gonzales questions about his role in judicial nominations and for his position on parental notification and Roe v. Wade. Senator Schumer, a Democrat, asked Mr. Gonzales if he would consult with Senate Democrats before bringing a judicial nominee before the Senate. Mr. Gonzales stated that he believed consultation was a good thing and that he would make "every effort" to do so. Senator Brownback, a Republican, asked Mr. Gonzales to comment on a Texas Supreme Court case concerning the state's Parental Notification law. Mr. Gonzales was a member of the court at the time the case was decided and voted to grant a judicial bypass to a minor seeking an abortion. Mr. Gonzales defended his decision to grant a judicial bypass for the minor in the case claiming that to do otherwise would have been "an act of judicial activism." Finally, Senator Biden asked Mr. Gonzales about Roe v. Wade and his position on the 1973 landmark case. Mr. Gonzales answered,
"Of course, the Supreme Court has recognized a right of privacy in our Constitution, and in Roe the court held that that right of privacy includes a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. A little over a decade ago, the court, in Casey, had an opportunity to revisit that issue. They made a -- they declined to overturn Roe, and of course made a new standard that any restriction that constituted an "undue burden" on a woman's right to choose could not be sustained. My judgment is that the court has had an opportunity -- ample opportunities -- to look at this issue. It has declined to do so. And as far as I'm concerned, it is the law of the land and I will enforce it."
There were other questions that Mr. Gonzales should have been asked concerning choice. In particular, NAF sought to obtain Mr. Gonzales' opinion on the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and his commitment to maintain the Task Force on Violence Against Health Care Providers. We wanted Mr. Gonzales' assurances that under his leadership, the Task Force would continue to help prevent violence against abortion providers and fully prosecute anti-choice criminal activity. In that regard, NAF drafted a letter to Senators with specific questions that Mr. Gonzales could be asked in writing. Mr. Gonzales provided written responses to the questions he was posed concerning FACE.
> Alberto Gonzales' bio
> Questions NAF submitted to the Judiciary Committee for Alberto Gonzales
> Letter NAF sent to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
> Alberto Gonzales' Responses to Written NAF Questions
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