Reply #2: Response from Bob Krause - caandidate to oppose Grassley:

[rurallib]

STATEMENT BY BOB KRAUSE

Democratic Candidate, United States Senate

Monday, July 27, 2009
U. S. Senate candidate Bob Krause says Grassley opposition to Sotomayer follows pattern of anti-women votes
It was with regret but no surprise that I learned this afternoon of Senator Charles Grassley's announcement that he will vote against the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice David Souter.

Senator Grassley's vote against Judge Sotomayor is the capstone to a long string of anti-women votes by Iowa's senior senator.

In combined 2007-2008 alone, he was rated at 40% favorable by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). This is actually his best in years. He was at 33% with AAUW in 2007 and just 10% in 2005-2006, just after his successful re-election. Perhaps next year, which is an election year, his women's vote rating will improve.

But I am not hopeful of that improvement. On the first significant civil rights bill of 2009, Grassley voted against closing a huge loophole in the equal pay for equal work statute. Had Grassley prevailed it would have remained very easy for large corporations to discriminate on pay to women and get away with it.

Thus, it is not surprising that Senator Grassley's first vote against a Supreme Court nominee in 29 years is against a woman.

I urge Senator Grassley to change his mind and vote "yes" to confirm a well qualified nominee for the highest court in the land. Not only is it important to women and Hispanics, it is important to all Americans as a reaffirmation of the great melting pot of humanity that we are.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Monday, July 27, 2009



Contact: Keith Dinsmore

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