Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), the nation's leading independent liberal political organization, views the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court as a monumental threat to basic civil rights and civil liberties.

"Judge Alito has made a career out of writing one troubling opinion after another," states Amy F. Isaacs, national director of ADA. His opinions concerning federalism, civil rights (including discrimination based on race, gender, and disability), reproductive rights, and the First Amendment are particularly disturbing.

Judge Alito's opinions have supported: the transfer and possession of machine guns; the implementation of rules making it more difficult for victims of racial, gender, or disability discrimination to seek restitution; onerous restrictions on reproductive choice; restrictions on freedom of speech; and numerous other alarming threats to individual rights.

ADA will follow the nomination process closely and urges the Senate to use its role of advice and consent carefully in order to protect the independence of the U.S. Supreme Court.