Grave Concerns over Role of Roberts in Bray v. Alexandria

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today Karen Pearl, interim president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), issued the following statement concerning the role of U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts in Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic.

While working in the solicitor general's office in 1993, John Roberts wrote a brief to the Supreme Court in support of Operation Rescue, a group that uses violence and intimidation against women. In his brief, Roberts argued that blockading entrances to women's health centers did not amount to discrimination against women.

"Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading reproductive health care provider and advocate, and the leading target of violence, intimidation and harassment for providing those services. We know firsthand how extremist groups like Operation Rescue terrorize and intimidate the women we serve and the staff who care for them.

"Because millions of women and men turn to us each year for reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood's top priorities are the health and safety of our clients. What is most alarming about John Roberts' role in Bray is not only that he argued on the side of anti-choice felons, but that he did so without renouncing the aggressive and dangerous measures they used to prevent women from accessing health care.

"John Roberts' role in Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic is tremendously troubling and could be an ominous indicator of his position on women's rights. It is of utmost importance that the White House release all documents related to Roberts' role in Bray. If John Roberts sides with Operation Rescue, there is reason to be seriously concerned about whether, if confirmed, he will protect women's health and safety in cases such as Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood, which the court will hear this fall."

PPFA has expressed serious and grave concerns about the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court.