The AFL-CIO applauds the decision by Senate Democrats to stop the confirmation of Priscilla Owen, whose decisions too often have reflected bias over fairness, to a lifetime appointment on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Working men and women look to the federal courts as a place where they can seek justice — as a place where regardless of outcome, they will get a fair shot at proving their case. The appointment of judges like Priscilla Owen, whose track record suggests a predisposition against workers’ interests in favor of business interests, undermines public confidence in the judiciary.

During her tenure on the Texas Supreme Court, Justice Owen’s decisions and dissents have overwhelmingly favored business and insurance interests over those of working families. She has authored or joined numerous opinions making it more difficult for workers to pursue their right to compensation for workplace injuries, to seek redress for employment discrimination, and to seek justice for wrongs suffered by them on the job. In addition, she has shown herself to be a conservative judicial activist with a disturbing willingness to ignore the plain language of the law to reach her decisions.

President Bush should stop trying to pack the courts with conservative judicial activists like Priscilla Owen and should start nominating mainstream judges who represent the values of America’s working families. In the meantime, the AFL-CIO and our state affiliate, the Texas AFL-CIO, strongly oppose the appointment of Priscilla Owen to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Contact: Kathy Roeder (202) 637-5018