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Religious Advocacy Groups Issue Statements On Kagan Nomination

By Howard M. Friedman

A number of religious advocacy groups have issued statements commenting on President Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Baptist Joint Committee said it hopes Kagan, if confirmed, "will protect our most fundamental freedom ? religious freedom ? with a commitment to principles of both no establishment and free exercise embodied in our 'first freedom'." Catholic Families for America opposed the nomination, saying it had "'grave concerns' about her promotion of same-sex 'marriage' and abortion, as well as a 'dangerous internationalism' that has become fashionable among leftist jurists." The American Jewish Committee welcomed the nomination, saying: "We commend President Obama on nominating Elena Kagan, whose strong legal credentials make her a worthy candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court."

Americans United for Separation of Church and State said: "We simply don?t know much about Elena Kagan?s views on church-state separation.... It's the job of the Senate Judiciary Committee to fill in the picture by asking her questions about how religion and government should interact." Liberty Counsel also raised questions: "The Senate should press hard to question Elena Kagan on her judicial philosophy. The public deserves to know whether Kagan will use her transnational law philosophy as a lens through which she views the Constitution. And the public needs to know whether her personal views will trump the Constitution, as they appeared to do when she banned military recruiters from campus."

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs release said: "Supreme Court nominees should be held the highest standard and be fully committed to protecting justice for all and our nation's core values described in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.... We encourage Senators to give Ms. Kagan full and fair consideration and hope all sides keep discussions and debate civil." The Muslim Public Affairs Council said: "We call upon Ms. Kagan, if she is confirmed, to follow in the footsteps of Justice Stevens in his commitment to preserving individual freedoms, checking executive power, and upholding the rule of law which have made America a better place for over 35 years."

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 11, 2010 (boomark / email).