Right-wing attack machine goes into overdrive.

[and-justice-for-all]

The Radical Right's extremism has been on full display in the last few weeks as false and divisive rhetoric around hate crimes legislation and Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was elevated to new heights.

Last week, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed the U.S. Senate and, just today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-6 to recommend the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor.

But the fact that only ONE Republican Senator on the committee voted in favor of this tremendously qualified and non-ideological nominee shows the Far Right's continuing power (thanks to its ability to agitate a significant part of the Republican base).

People For the American Way played a lead role in exposing the Right's distortions in these important debates, and I wanted to share with you two Right Wing Watch: In Focus reports we recently released as useful resources for reporters, bloggers, our coalition partners and activists.

As Senate Prepares to Take Up Hate Crimes Bill, Far Right's Inflammatory Claims Should Not Be Taken Seriously
Anti-gay organizations have been fighting the steady advance of federal hate crimes legislation with rhetoric that is increasingly unhinged from reality. When the U.S. House of Representatives passed a hate crimes bill on April 29 with a bipartisan 74-vote margin, Religious Right leaders and some of their congressional allies were inspired to new heights (or depths) of literally incredible accusations. Read more > http://site.pfaw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rww_in_focus_hate_crimes_claims

Right Wing Attacks on Sotomayor Gain Little Traction
Right-wing leaders geared up months ago to oppose any Supreme Court nominee that the Obama administration might have an opportunity to make, and they have doggedly followed their script through the announcement of David Souter's intention to resign, the announcement of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination, and her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. For all their professed concern about the "politicization" of the judiciary, right-wing leaders have been planning since before President Obama's inauguration to treat any Supreme Court nominee primarily as a chance to begin political attacks on red and purple state Democrats with an eye to elections in 2010 and 2012. Read more > http://site.pfaw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rww_in_focus_attacks_on_sotomayor

Stay tuned for our next Right Wing Watch: In Focus which will expose attempts by the Radical Right to sabotage efforts to provide affordable healthcare to all Americans.

-- Michael B. Keegan, President