Conservative Opposition Not Enough To Stop Geisner's Confirmation

Pro-choice nominee confirmed despite protests from anti-abortion groups

MAVOCKE, CEA--A bombardment of opposition from conservative organizations and political leaders was not enough to stop the nomination of Annette Geisner to the Department of Social Services.

The Senate voted 53-37 to confirm Geisner, who was nominated by President Menuhaeo for Under Secretary, the department's second-highest position. But Geisner's nomination brought on a barrage of criticism from pro-life groups, who attacked Ms. Geisner for her overtly pro-choice past.

Geisner, who is a registered nurse, has never held public office. But she has worked with pro-abortion organizations over the past 17 years. She began her work at a women's clinic in Wilmington, Trinton; then took over the reigns at an abortion clinic in Fairfield, Ceona; and most recently served as the director of an inner-city abortion clinic in Grassadella City. She also served as an advisor to Sen. Debbie Madronas (N-DMG) on women's rights.

Her nomination for under secretary riled conservative groups, who were hoping for a more moderate nominee from President Menuhaeo. Chief among the critics was the Coalition for an Abortion-Free Grassadella (CAFG), which sent letters of protest to every senator and dozens of representatives in the National Assembly, as well as the president himself. CAFG also organized a protest outside the Senate chambers on the day of Geisner's confirmation vote. Around 2,000 people were in attendance.

Some conservative senators also voiced criticism of Ms. Geisner's nomination. Leading the fight in the Senate were Evelynn Blankenship (C-VER) and Roger Gzarno (C-EDS), who contended Geisner's support of abortion amounted to an "ideological tilt at the DSS (Dept. of Social Services)."

"This is not a position for a passionate ideologue to hold," Blankenship said on the Senate floor. "This is a governmental position. The person that holds this job should be fair and unbiased, and we've seen with Annette Geisner that that is not possible. She is uncontrollably partisan and slanted in her work."

Likewise, liberal senators rushed to Geisner's defense.

"I've known Annette Geisner for years, and I know these things you're saying about her aren't true," Sen. Hanna Gorbachy (N-MON), told Blankenship.

Geisner's former boss, Senator Madronas, also spoke up in defense.

"Of course, this is what we have come to expect from the radical, religious-right wing of the Conservative party. They're so bent on shoving their religious beliefs down everyone's throats, that they're willing to attack a woman, a wonderful person like Annette Geisner who has done more for women and families in this country than anyone else I know; they're willing to attack this good woman to advance their extreme agenda," Madronas said. "And I think that's appalling."

With two different views of Ms. Geisner, the radical ideologue and the compassionate advocate, the Senate went to a vote on her nomination. And just like with past nominations, the moderate group of CNS senators, known as "the sideliners," were key to Geisner's confirmation. Altogether, eight Conservative senators voted to confirm Geisner. Two of those eight senators, Ruth Bennet (DES) and Greg Baxter (TRI), normally reliable conservative votes, unexpectedly voted in favor of Geisner's nomination. Bennet's vote particularly angered voters because she gave no prior warning she would vote yes until the actual voting session.

"We were shocked, to say the least, that Senator Bennet voted for [Geisner]," one CNS senator, who asked not to be identified because of party unity, told GNN News.

Already, conservative groups are pounding Bennet with criticism. Upon hearing the Deschire Conservative voted to confirm Geisner, the CAFG released a web video attacking Bennet's vote, and is planning on mailing negative advertisements to some 80,000 voters in Deschire.

Christy Maynard, a spokeswoman for Senator Bennet, told the GBC the senator's office has received hundreds of calls since Friday's vote. The spokeswoman added that while the senator disagrees with abortion, she has "a spirit of individualism" and does not "always vote in lock-step" with party leaders.

"I know Senator Bennet, and I think it's fair to say that she votes with her heart, and my guess is she felt Annette Geisner was the right person for the job. And while she may have had concerns about Annette's views, I think the senator reasonably assumed that Ms. Geisner can put aside those views and do her job in a fair manner," Maynard said.

Only one Nationalist, Sen. Michael Kreighorn of Biereland, voted against Geisner. Kreighorn, who is facing re-election in 2010, is pro-choice but stated he could not vote against the will of his constituents.

"The majority of Bierelanders don't approve of abortion, and I have to keep that in mind when I vote," he said.

It's unclear how big an impact Bennet's vote will cost her. It is clear, however, that Ms. Geisner's confirmation is a big victory for the Menuhaeo administration, who in recent weeks has seen five of the president's nominees fail confirmation in the bitterly divided Senate.

"This is clearly a victory for President Menuhaeo, who has previously nominated some really lackluster nominees," Dr. Scott Mendenhall from City University in Grassadella City told GNN.

The president will hold a swearing-in ceremony Monday for the new Under Secretary. DSS Secretary Elizabeth Deedrick will also be at the ceremony, which is slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. ESGT.