Arizona Republic, Newspaper mention, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Council Oks resolution backing Judge O’Connor

Arizona Republic, Newspaper mention, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

The Phoenix City Council passed a resolution Tuesday urging the confirmation of Arizona Appeals Judge Sandra O’Connor to the U.S. Supreme Court . Copies of the resolution were sent to Senate leaders and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold hearings on the nomination. Council members said Judge O’Connor’s work as a staff member of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Maricopa County Superior Court and the Appeals Court qualify her for the appointment .

Christian Science Monitor, Interview, Newspaper article

Conversations with Outstanding Americans: Sandra Day O’Connor

Christian Science Monitor, Interview, Newspaper article / By

Conversations with Outstanding Americans: Sandra Day O’Connor

Elected in 1981 as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor has proved to be both a pragmatic, conservative voice and a coalition-builder. Her “swing vote” has often tilted major rulings.

January 28, 1997

By Robert Marquand, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON

Sandra Day O’Conner inhabits one of the loftiest spots in American law. As the third-senior member of the Supreme Court, the former ranch girl from Arizona who used to “get up at 3 a.m. and be in the saddle by sunup,” as she puts it, has more than come a long way. But what Justice O’Connor wants today is more common sense in the interaction between law and ordinary people.

In a wide-ranging conversation with the Monitor, the practical minded O’Connor backs a number of reform ideas. She wants courts to not only seem more accessible, but to actually be so. She would be willing, for example, to allow people to serve on juries who have seen or heard news reports of a crime. (See comments at right.) Otherwise, “you get hear-nothing, see nothing people. Is that really a jury of your peers?” as she says one afternoon recently in her comfortable chambers. Likewise, she’s investing hope in new methods of conflict resolution that give people the feeling “they’ve been heard” by the justice system.

O’Connor, arguably the most influential woman in US government until last week, when Madeleine Albright became secretary of

Arizona Daily Star, Newspaper article

“Conversation starter”

Arizona Daily Star, Newspaper article / By

Relocated Sandra Day O’Connor house to be a center for civil talk that leads to civic action

Imagine an Arizona where political and ideological differences did not create antagonism and polarization, but were the basis for conversation that built bridges. Think of an Arizona in which shouting and snarky remarks were replaced by thoughtful, respectful, congenial discourse. Envision the inclusive, forwardthinking public policy and actions that could evolve from such amiable interaction. Helping Arizona find compromises to move solutions forward is the purpose of the O’Connor House, which embraces the house of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and an organization, activities and programs “where civil talk leads to civic action.” Chalupafed conversation The project’s genesis is the house O’Connor and her husband, John, built of sundried adobe bricks made from mud from the Salt River. In 1957, the O’Connors “scraped joints, painted walls and sealed the walls with skim milk,” Sandra Day O’Connor said May 29 in Phoenix during a preliminary meeting of state stakeholders. They were gathered to brainstorm an O’Connor House discussion topic for Arizona’s centennial, “good government for Arizona’s second century.” (In case you’re furrowing your brow and wondering “Why skim milk?” it has a protein that prevents dust motes from flaking off.) The house was designed by architect D.K. Taylor, who was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. The bricks were formed by George Ellis,

Los Angeles Times, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Conservative Role Indicated by O’Connor

Los Angeles Times, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

WASHINGTON-Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O’Connor served notice Thursday that she is likely to take conservative positions at the high court on important issues of criminal law. During the second day of her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, O’Connor criticized what she called some “unfortunate” effects of the exclusionary rule-the principle that requires judges to exclude evidence from criminal trials if it has been obtained illegally by the police.

Stewart Took Liberal Approach

The nominee also reaffirmed her support as an Arizona legislator of the death penalty and of’ efforts to clamp down on the distribution of pornographic material. Retired Justice Potter Stewart, whom O’Connor is slated to replace, took a liberal approach in obscenity cases and generally resisted attempts at the high court to limit the scope of the exclusionary rule. O’Connor’s testimony suggests that her appointment may give new impetus to efforts to lift some legal constraints on law enforcement officials. By Thursday night, with her own testimony before the Judiciary Committee nearly complete, O’Connor’s confirmation seemed all but assured. Several members of the committee, including such leading conservatives as Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), assured O’Connor they will vote for her. At a time when President Reagan is scoring high in public opinion polls, and with O’Connor herself apparently a popular choice, most of the senators held back from any tough give-and-take with

Newspaper article, Tempe Daily News, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Conservative Forces vow to fight against O’Connor

Newspaper article, Tempe Daily News, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

Sandra Day O’Connor will face painstaking scrutiny of her record as a state legislator and judge at confirmation hearings this week on her nomination as the Supreme Court’s first woman justice. Conservative forces that want President Reagan to withdraw the nomination of the Arizona appeals court judge have deluged the Senate Judiciary Committee with about 20,000 pieces of mail – mostly form letters – running 4-to-1 against her. But Senate leaders have predicted her confirmation, perhaps without dissent, because no senators are on record opposing her. This has not discouraged abortion foes, who contend that they will use the hearings as a forwn to show Reagan he “should never insult his friends again.” “No observer of this fight – and it is a fight – should judge by the final number of votes,” said Peter Gemma Jr. of the National Pro-Life Political Action Committee. O’Connor’s nomination is a “complete break of faith in light of the promises in the Republican platform,” which endorses “pro-life” judges, said Conservative Caucus head Boward Phillips . “Our duty is to keep faith with the unborn – even if we don’t get a single senator’s vote,” Phillips added. Sure to be aired at the hearings, which begin Wednesday, are data on her votes on state abortion bills-votes that are “consistenUy anti-life,” abor- . tion forces charge. . Also, the conservative groups claim O’Connor is too soft on crime, too liberal on women’s issues and has ignored conflicts of interest in voting on areas

Arizona Republic, Newspaper mention, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Conservative Arizona lawmaker backs Judge O’Connor

Arizona Republic, Newspaper mention, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

Rep. Donna Carlson West, R-Mesa, an ardent opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment and a pro-life advocate, threw her support Friday behind Judge Sandra O’Connor, a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, R-Tenn., Rep . Carlson W~t laid she was deeply distressed by opposition to the Arizona Court of Appeals judge’s historic nomination. “I have known Sandra for many years, as a member of the Legislature and member of the judiciary,” Mrs: Carlson West said, “and I am convinced that there is nothing in her record in either capacity that warrants the many unfounded, untrue charges that are being raised in opposition to her nomination as the first woman justice of the Supreme Court.” She conceded that Mrs. O’Connor and two other conservative women legislators had introduced a resolution to ratify the ERA in Arizona. But many legislators and states have changed their minds on ERA since Congress passed it in 1972, Rep. Carlson West said. On the abortion issue, Judge O’Connor cast couple of votes as a legislator with which R Carlson West said she disagreed, “but I do kno that she is personally opposed to abortion.” Rep. Carlson West, immediate past chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council. national organization of conservative legislator labeled as “untrue” allegations that Judge O’Connor is “pro-gun control, anti-religion and anti-capital punishment.”

Eastern Arizona Courier, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Confirmation hearings begin

Eastern Arizona Courier, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

TRI-COUNTY: Gavel to gavel coverage of the Sandra O’Connor senate confirmation hearings will be broadcast on KAET/Channel 8, Sept 9, 10 and 11 beginning at 7 p.m. KAET, the public television affiliate in Phoenix, is producing the coverage on an exclusive basis for the Arizona market and will also transmit the program via the Westar I satellite to all public television stations and their affiliated cable channels. Sandra Day O’Connor, who spent her young years on her parents Lazy B Ranch southeast of Duncan and is now a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals, is the first woman nominated for a seat on the United States Supreme Court. This makes the upcoming telecast especially interesting for people of eastern Arizona as well as the state as a whole The nominee will questioned by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Strom Thurmond (R, South Carolina ). Other Republican members of the committee include Paul Laxalt of Nevada, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Robert Dole of Kansas and Charles Mathias of Maryland . Democratic committee members include Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts , Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio and Dennis DeConcin i of Arizona. Witnesses will not question Judge O’Connor, but will read prepared statements. As of last Frid ay, the list of witnesses had not been confirmed, but it is expected that Senator Barry Goldwater would appear as a witness . While the confirmation of O’Connor appears to be a foregone conclusion, there is

Letter to the editor, Phoenix Gazette, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Compliments O’Connor

Letter to the editor, Phoenix Gazette, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

If Judge Sandra O’Connor is confirmed by the United States Senate as the first woman on the Supreme Court, she will go down in history as one of our most esteemed pioneers. We may even find her picture on a postage stamp someday. And to hear all the babble of nit-picking that is arising makes one wonder if even the motives of heaven would be questioned and subjected to the third degree. Mrs. O’Connor is a credit to the women of America. She is an example of that rare womankind who can carry a pitcher of water on both shoulders, an excellent mother, an excellent lawyer and a compassionate and brilliant human-being who has arisen to the height.a of awesome honor. Isn’t it about time that we look at personal integrity in out officials and have faith in their judgment instead of gagging on gnat.a and swallowing elephant.a? May we have more of Sandra O’Connor and her kind! CHARLOTTE ELDRIDGE SUTTER, Phoenix