Desperation: the Attempt to Smear Roberts

This ad from NARAL is one of the most misleading spots that I have ever seen.  The video shows footage of a 1998 bombing of an abortion clinic in Alabama, with testimony from Emily Lyons, who was injured in the blast.  This bomb was set by Eric Rudolph, who was also responsible for the Atlanta Olympic bombing and is currently serving a life sentence for his crimes. 

Without explanation, the video then states: "(Roberts) filed court briefs supporting violent fringe groups and a convicted clinic bomber". 

Cut back to Lyons: "I am determined to stop this violence, so I am speaking out".

Back to narrator: Call your senators and have then oppose John Roberts.  America can't afford a SC justice whose ideology leads him to excuse violence against other Americans". 

Now to the truth. 

1.  Roberts' "supporting" fringe groups involved his work in the SC case Bray vs. Alexandria Women's Health Clinics, which was argued twice (in 1991 and 1992, I believe), and was decided in 1993.  This case involved abortion clinics attempting to use laws designed to prosecute the KKK on protesters.  Roberts argued that the abortion clinics did not show that the protesters themselves were intentionally attempting to harm women.  The SC agreed - Bray won the case by a 6-3 margin.

2.  The Alabama clinic bombing took place in 1998, 5 years after Robert's involvement in Bray.  This is certainly not made clear in the video.

3.  There is no logical connection between Bray and Rudolph's horrific act.  Even if Bray was decided the other way, there is no reason to believe that it would have changed Rudolph's despicable actions.

4.  In fact, as a result of the Bray decision, congress passed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances act (FACE) in 1994 which made clinic blockades illegal.  This law was fully in force when Rudolph bombed the Alabama clinic.

5.  The only support Roberts supplied to Bray was to argue that they were not covered under the KKK act - which is a point that the SC agreed with.

6.  The statement that these actions are equivalent to "excusing violence" is the worst form of Sophistry and misinformation imaginable.

So why include graphic video of a bombing that took place 5 years after Roberts had argued Bray?  This is an appeal to pure emotion, and one that is incredibly dishonest.  It is tragic when ideology gets in the way of the truth.  This is what occurs when you are running out of ideas, and are morally bankrupt.