Philadelphia – Alarmed by some Republican leaders’ attempt to dismantle our system of checks and balances by eliminating the Senate filibuster of judicial nominations, 24 Pennsylvania-based organizations representing a broad cross section of groups released a letter to Congress calling on senators to oppose what has become known as the “nuclear option”. The letter was directed at Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Arlen Specter (R-PA), Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“If the right to filibuster is effectively denied for judicial nominations, Social Security could be next,” said Lauren Townsend, Executive Director of Citizens for Consumer Justice.

The “nuclear option” is a shameless abuse of power that would overturn more than 200 years of Senate tradition and set a dangerous precedent for future legislation. In the letter, the groups write: “Eliminating this constitutionally-established system of checks and balances specifically to ensure that controversial judicial nominees can receive a slim majority’s vote would create a dangerous precedent. If the rules for judicial nominations are changed, there is no reason to believe that the rules could not also be altered to enable a slim majority to promote other controversial measure.”

“We believe that the nuclear option would be devastating to the very foundation of our democratic society. Our democracy derives its strength not simply from majority rule, but from its defense of the rights of political, ethnic, religious, and racial minorities to dissent and to have an impact on the political process,” said Eleanor Levie of the National Council of Jewish Women - PA.

Genevieve Sherrow of NARAL Pro-Choice Pennsylvania said, “ The nuclear option will enable Senate Republicans to stack the courts with out-of-the-mainstream judges who have no proven commitment to preserving the constitutional right to privacy and a woman’s right to choose."

Elise Annunziata, Sierra Club Senior Regional Representative, said, “Federal judges are appointed for life, which means that judges who are confirmed this year could easily influence U.S. environmental policy for decades. Already, the laws that guarantee clean air and clean water are under attack and the courts could play a key role in upholding these vital protections. Too much is at stake to rush the Senate into appointing judges who oppose protections for clean air, clean water and our natural heritage.”

"A long-time Senate safeguard should not be scrapped simply because it is inconvenient to the goals of one political interest. It is an abuse of power to strip the Senate minority of a tool designed to protect it's rights -- rights both parties have defended throughout Senate history," said Robert B. Stein, State Chair of Common Cause/Pennsylvania.

Organizations that signed the letter include groups such as Common Cause, Citizens for Consumer Justice, Communication Workers of America District 13, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, National Council of Jewish Women-PA, Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Center, League of Conservation Voters, and others.

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