Maine Women Have Much At Stake in Confirmation Process, Advocate Say

(Augusta) Maine groups applauded the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, citing her record of consensus-building among people of different background and beliefs.

Solicitor General Kagan has decades of experience and service as a practicing attorney, a law school professor, and trailblazer, serving as the first woman Dean of Harvard Law School and our nation’s first woman Solicitor General. Read more here.

The President has nominated someone who is extremely well-qualified, who demonstrates a keen intellect, and who understands the role of the courts on the lives of ordinary Americans,” said Kate Brogan, Vice President of Public Affairs at the Family Planning Association of Maine. “She has earned praise across the political and ideological spectrum-and we expect she will again throughout this nomination process.

Nonny Soifer, Social Action Committee Vice President for the National Council of Jewish Women, Southern Maine Section, added, “We need a highly qualified nominee who will take a leadership role on our nation’s highest court, show a commitment to upholding core constitutional values, and who understands that the courts are guardians of our most fundamental liberties. By all accounts, Elena Kagan is such a leader, and she is someone who can uphold Justice Stevens’ legacy as a defender of justice for all-not just a few.

“Maine people have much at stake in this nomination process,” said Charlotte Warren, Associate Director of the Maine Women’s Lobby. “In recent years, the Roberts Court has made dramatic shifts in legal precedent and in favor of corporations-as evidenced by cases like Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and others. For this reason, we are pleased that the President has nominated someone who is extremely well-qualified for the high court and who understands the effect of the law on everyday people.”

Kate Brogan, Vice President of Public Affairs for the Family Planning Association of Maine added, “As the daughter of a tenant’s lawyer and a school teacher, and herself a committed educator and public servant, Elena Kagan is someone who understands the lives of ordinary Americans. If confirmed, she would be the fourth woman to serve on our nation’s highest court and the third woman sitting on the current bench, marking the highest representation of women on the Court in its history.”

The Family Planning Association of Maine, the National Council of Jewish Women, Southern Maine Section, the Maine Women’s Lobby are the among dozens of organizations who will be working over the next few months to ensure that the views and interests of diverse Maine constituents are represented throughout the Supreme Court confirmation process for Solicitor General Elena Kagan.