Support for Sonia Sotomayor Crumbles as Pro-Abortion Bona Fides Established

"RENEWING THE AMERICAN DREAM"

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 1, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The more that the American public learns that Sonia Sotomayor may supports unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy if she is confirmed for the Supreme Court, the more they oppose her nomination. A new Rasmussen Report poll finds a plurality now oppose the Senate confirming her.

The finding comes as more information is revealed about her involvement with a pro-abortion Hispanic group that filed numerous legal briefs promoting unlimited abortions.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey find a small 37 percent believe Sotomayor should be confirmed while a larger 39 percent say she should not. The rest of those polled are undecided on her nomination.

Two weeks ago, the numbers were much brighter for President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court pick. At that time, 42% favored confirmation, and 34% were opposed, according to the Rasmussen poll.

Democrats now favor confirmation by a four-to-one margin while Republicans are opposed by a three-to-one margin. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 23% favor confirmation, and 49% are opposed.

According to Rasmussen, some 77% of liberal voters favor confirmation while 63% of conservatives are opposed.

Another 46 percent believe that Sotomayor is politically liberal while 32% view her as a moderate.

Despite the decline in support, 84% of the nation’s voters still expect Sotomayor to be confirmed. That figure includes 58% who say her confirmation is Very Likely.

The news of the poll comes on a day when the president of a pro-abortion Hispanic group confirmed that Sotomayor set policy for the organization, which aggressively promoted abortion in Supreme Court legal briefs.

The organization, formerly known as the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, had her on the board from 1980 to 1992.

The New York Times notes that Sotomayor "was an involved and ardent supporter of their various legal efforts."

Those efforts included several Supreme Court briefs arguing for unlimited legal abortions for any reason throughout pregnancy and for taxpayer funding of abortions.

Cesar Perales, PRLDEF's president and general counsel, told AP that Sotomayor set policy for the group but wasn't involved in those legal briefs.