As Twitchy told you earlier, liberal luminaries like Lawrence O’Donnell and Brian Fallon had their panties in a knot because U.S. District Court nominee Wendy Vitter refused to say whether or not she agreed with the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education. What they failed to note — probably because they were too overcome with outrage to do any research before spouting off — is that Vitter was following the standard operating procedure of countless other judicial nominees.
Well anyway, HuffPost senior politics reporter Jennifer Bendery was among those flabbergasted by Vitter’s silence on Brown v. Board of Education:
She also refused to say if she believes Brown v. Board of Education — the landmark 1954 ruling that struck down school segregation — was correctly decided. https://t.co/ZL3EmjIJHA
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) April 12, 2018
But when it comes to something Vitter did say, Bendery was pretty flabbergasted by that, too:
Good morning. One of Trump's picks for a lifetime seat on a federal court, Wendy Vitter, thinks Planned Parenthood "kills over 150,000 females every year." https://t.co/eETQC9vxJn
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) April 12, 2018
We’re looking for the controversial part.
And?
— Currently between fraudulent suspensions (@jtLOL) April 12, 2018
More from HuffPost:
One of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees, Wendy Vitter, repeatedly avoided answering a simple question in her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday: Do you believe Planned Parenthood kills more than 150,000 women every year?
Vitter, a New Orleans lawyer and Trump’s choice for a lifetime seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, made that claim in a May 2013 speech in protest of a new Planned Parenthood clinic in New Orleans.
“Planned Parenthood says they promote women’s health,” Vitter said at the time, per New Orleans’ Clarion Herald. “It is the saddest of ironies that they kill over 150,000 females a year. The first step in promoting women’s health is to let them live.”
I'll go with the over on that number.
— Sean Agnew (@seanagnew) April 12, 2018
What’s the actual figure?
— Razor (@hale_razor) April 12, 2018
That seems like a really low number.
— DJ Ellis (@Djell4jc) April 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/OhioCoastie/status/984462949753524225
According to Planned Parenthood’s annual report for 2016-2017, they performed 321,384 abortions. Seems like a pretty safe bet that at least 150,000 of those lives snuffed out belonged to unborn girls.
They also kill about 150,000 males, it’s worth nothing.
— Rachael Larimore (@RachaelBL) April 12, 2018
Um. They do. What's your point? https://t.co/2oYp6q7qTW
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 12, 2018
Bendery’s point seems to be that Vitter has something to apologize for. According to Bendery, Vitter’s failure to disclose the 2013 remarks in which she made the claim in question is “a big no-no”:
That’s a big no-no to senators, who expect a thorough submission of background materials for judicial nominees. It also creates the appearance, at least, of Vitter not wanting the committee to know about some of her controversial comments.
But Bendery’s real issue seems to be that Vitter is pro-life. Which suggests she’s incapable of carrying out the duties required by the position she’s been nominated for. Or something.
Here’s the thing, though: Regardless of whether or not Vitter disclosed her remarks to the Senate committee, regardless of whether you’re pro-life or pro-abortion, the fact remains what she said is correct. Abortion directly results in the death of an unborn child. There’s no getting around that. No matter how feverishly you spin.
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