Republicans Say Judicial Nominee Is Victim of Religious Bias
By Robert B. Bluey
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
October 31, 2003

Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - A group of Republicans in the House of Representatives accused Senate Democrats of using a religious litmus test to derail the nomination of Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor for a seat on a federal appeals court.

The House Working Group on Judicial Accountability released a report Thursday outlining religious bias in the Senate's confirmation process for judges and cabinet members. It blames Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Patrick Leahy of Vermont as the main culprits.
 

Doctor Says Schiavo Likely Victim of 'Some Kind of Trauma'
By Jeff Johnson  CNSNews.com Congressional Bureau Chief October 28, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - One of the most important battles in the fight over the life or death of Terri Schindler Schiavo has been the professional opinions of dueling medical experts. But the Schindler family has found a new ally in that battle - one it did not seek out - in the person of a famed New York forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Baden.

 

YWCA Firing of Feminist 'Late But Welcome'  http://www.charismanews.com/a.php?ArticleID=8211

A decision by the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) to recently fire a prominent feminist as its leader "is late but welcome," according to some conservative Christian groups that strongly criticized her appointment.
Patricia Ireland, former president of the National Organization for Women and an admitted bisexual, was dismissed as chief executive a week ago, less than six months after she was hired to head the YWCA, the Associated Press reported. The YWCA named Dorris Daniel-Parkes, the organization's former human resources director, as its interim director.

When she landed the position in April, Ireland, 58, vowed to increase the political activism of the YWCA, which has more than 300 branches nationwide providing child care services, educational programs, employment training, job placement and shelter for women and families.

Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition, which posted an online petition to have Ireland fired, said she believed that her organization's campaign led to the decision.

"Patricia Ireland has been a lifelong advocate of everything that most Christians oppose," Lafferty said. "We don't know their new appointee, but we remain skeptical of any Christian organization which takes six months to figure out that a pro-abortion lesbian is wrong for most YWCA members. We heard from Y members in our churches across America. I believe their contributors forced them to fire her."

Concerned Women for America chief counsel Jan LaRue agreed. "Her hiring shouldn't have happened in the first place," she told Charisma News Service. "The YWCA has a long way to go to correct itself. It should return to its Christian mission or change its name. The public has a right to know that it isn't supporting a Christian association."