Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) stated in an interview today on MSNBC at around 12:25 P.T. that Judge Alito would, and I paraphrase, force a woman to consult her husband before receiving an abortion even if she feared him. Sen. Boxer was of course referring to Judge Alito’s dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
Either willfully or out of ignorance, Sen. Boxer completely distorted not only Judge Alito’s opinion but the Pennsylvania law in question in the case. As Patterico pointed out yesterday in his review of Judge Alito’s dissent, the law in question did not force a married woman to consult her husband if she "ha[d] reason to believe that notification is likely to result in the infliction of injury upon her." Judge Alito acknowledged and cited this in his dissent. Further, all that was required was the woman’s uncorroborated assertion to this effect for her to be able to avoid the requirement. Quite the opposite of Sen. Boxer’s false statement.
Judge Alito’s nomination is only hours old and already Senate Democrats are not only distorting the truth but spreading lies. Unfortunately, Sen. Boxer’s statement is likely only a foretaste of the many distortions to come from her and members of her caucus throughout the nomination process. These tactics do the nominee, the process, the judiciary, and the nation a great disservice and hopefully enough senators from both sides will see fit to rise above them.
Cross-posted @ Respectfully Republican
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