Protest Over Trump's Supreme Court Pick In Seattle Tuesday

SEATTLE, WA - The NARAL Pro-Choice Washington chapter will host a rally Tuesday to protest Donald Trump's pick to fill a Supreme Court vacancy. Trump on Monday nominated D.C. circuit court judge and former George W. Bush staffer Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring justice Anthony Kennedy.

Groups like NARAL Pro-Choice and others on the left are worried that another Trump Supreme Court pick will push the court toward overturning Roe V. Wade, which set a precedent for legal abortion in the U.S. Democrats are also worried about a legal article Kavanaugh wrote that said a president should be exempt from criminal prosecution while in office.

The NARAL event in Seattle will aim to convince U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray - both Democrats - to vote against the Kavanaugh pick. The protest is part of a nationwide series of actions meant to pressure politicians to oppose Kavanaugh.

"NARAL will be joined by Attorney General Bob Ferguson and supporters of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii along with Indivisible Washington. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington will be standing in solidarity with actions being taken around the country by various chapters of NARAL, including at the steps of the Supreme Court in our nations capital," the group said in a press release Monday.

Murray specifically addressed the abortion issue in a tweet Monday.

"President Trump must nominate someone who is clearly & strongly committed to not rolling back settled law when it comes to women’s health & patient protections—& to protecting the rights & freedoms that people across the country hold so dear. Judge Kavanaugh fails on both counts," she wrote.

Dr. Kim Schrier, who is running to replace U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, issued a statement Monday saying that Kavanaugh would oppose issues ranging from gun safety to abortion access.

"Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court would undermine decades of hard-won progress and move us backwards on everything from abortion rights, to gun safety, to workers rights, and healthcare access. It's time for Americans to stand unified against these attacks on our shared values," Schrier said in a statement.

State GOP Chair Caleb Heimlich praised Trump's pick on Monday, and lashed out at Democrats for trying to block the nomination.

"We urge all senators to engage in a fair nomination process and approve judge Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court justice," Heimlich sad in a statement.

The NARAL event begins at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, 915 2nd Ave. in Seattle.

Image via U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit