The WaPo reports that Senator-elect Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who famously advocated the death penalty for abortion providers, will be joining the Senate Judiciary Committee. Excellent. Also joining will be Kansas Republican Sam Brownback, who proposed a bill that would require that a woman seeking an abortion first be informed that the fetus might feel pain, and that she be offered anesthetic for the fetus. And let us not forget that this Committee is likely to be chaired by the allegedly pro-choice Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), much to the consternation of the right wing of the Republican party.
The first Supreme Court confirmation hearings are going to be truly amazing. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing whether Coburn et al. actually spend any time questioning the nominees, or whether they concentrate on trashing Specter.
