Sotomayor concerns abortion rights groups

WASHINGTON, May 28 (UPI) -- U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor never directly ruled on abortion but wrote tangential opinions favoring its opponents, an abortion rights group said.

Some pro-abortion rights advocates have expressed uneasiness that Sotomayor may not be a reliable vote to uphold Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 landmark abortion decision, based on her opinions in matters that touched on abortion peripherally, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Nancy Keenan, president of Naral Pro-Choice America, urged supporters by letter to press senators to demand Sotomayor discuss her views on privacy rights before a confirmation vote.

"Discussion about Roe vs. Wade will -- and must -- be part of this nomination process," Keenan wrote. "As you know, choice hangs in the balance on the Supreme Court as the last two major choice-related cases were decided by a 5-to-4 margin."

In a briefing this week, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama "did not ask (about abortion or privacy) specifically."

Sotomayor's views on abortion rights could become clear if a past writing comes to light, the Times said.

Steven Waldman, editor in chief of the religious Web site BeliefNet.com, told the Times, "Everyone is just assuming that because Obama appointed her, she must be a die-hard pro-choice activist but it's really quite amazing how little we know about her views on abortion."