>> ALL OF THIS IS BASICALLY
INTENDED TO JUST BRING THAT
LITTLE PIECE OF COMFORT TO THE
FAMILIES FROM AROUND THE REGION.
>> Shannon: THAT IS A BIT OF
WHAT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
SAYS IT IS ALL ABOUT, BUT THE
SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE
ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FOUNDED IN
1882 IS UNDER FIRE FROM A LEAST
TWO DEMOCRATIC SENATORS.
KAMALA HARRIS OF CALIFORNIA HAVE
BEEN GRILLING IN OMAHA BASED
LAWYER, WHO IS THE NOMINEE TO
SIT ON A DISTRICT COURT IN
NEBRASKA ABOUT HIS MEMBERSHIP IN
THAT CHARITY GROUP.
THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HAVE "A
NUMBER OF EXTREME POSITIONS."
ASKING THE NOMINEE IF HE WAS
INTENDING TO LEAVE THE
ORGANIZATION IF HE ACTUALLY GOT
A SEAT CONFIRMED ON THE BENCH.
HE SAYS HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS CONSISTS OF
MOSTLY CHARITABLE WORK IN
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND HE IS NOT
BACKING DOWN.
LET’S BRING IN THE REVEREND
GERALD MURRAY FOR SOME ANALYSIS.
A FATHER, WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> THANK YOU, SHANNON.
>> Shannon: SOME OF THE
CONCERNS THE SENATORS HAVE, THEY
SAY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HAVE CONCERNS THE SENATORS HAVE, THEY
SAY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HAVE
TAKEN POSITIONS ON ABORTION AND
MARRIAGE THAT ARE EXTREME.
IS IT FAIR TO ASK QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE CAN BE
AN OBJECTIVE JUDGE?
>> NO, I LOOK AT THIS AS AN
ATTACK ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
BECAUSE THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
IS A CATHOLIC ORGANIZATION.
MOST CATHOLIC TEACHINGS, IT’S
IMMORAL TO KILL CHILDREN AND
MARRIAGE CONSISTS OF A MAN AND A
WOMAN.
THOSE ARE TRUTHS THAT WERE
THOSE ARE NOT EXTREME POSITIONS,
TAUGHT BY A LAW AND CULTURE FOR
MOST OF WESTERN CULTURE UNTIL
QUITE RECENTLY.
IT’S NOT FAIR TO SAY IF YOU ARE
A MEMBER OF A CATHOLIC
ORGANIZATION YOU ARE AN
EXTREMIST, BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE
RELIGIOUS TESTS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE RESPECT RELIGION.
YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH SOMEONE’S
RELIGION, BUT DON’T SAY TO HIM,
IT’S ILLEGITIMATE FOR YOU TO
UPHOLD THOSE POSITIONS THAT YOU
ARE TEACHING AS EXTREME.
NO, CATHOLICISM IS NOT EXTREME,
THEIR ATTACKS ARE EXTREME.
>> Shannon: IT IS INTERESTING
BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE WHO TAKE
THIS A STEP FURTHER AND SAY IT
IS NOT JUST ABOUT HAVING A
FAITH, IT IS ABOUT ACTUALLY
PRACTICING IT, AND THAT IS WHERE
SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS -- WE
HAVE BEEN REALLY PUSHED ABOUT
HAVE SEEN WITH OTHER NOMINEES --
WHETHER OR NOT TO ACTUALLY
ADHERE TO THE TENANTS OF THEIR
FAITH.
PHIL DONAHUE, YOU KNOW WELL,
PRESIDENT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS,
HE SAID THE SENATORS ARE PLAYING
A GAME, THEY ARE ENGAGED IN
SELECTIVE RELIGIOUS PROFILING
AND SEXISM.
JUST A SODA MAYOR WAS NOT
CONSIDERED A PROBLEM
YET SHE IS CATHOLIC, BUT SHE IS
ALSO RELIABLY PRO-ABORTION.
END OF STORY.
IS IT MORE ABOUT THE ISSUE?
>> IT IS, I THINK IT IS A REHASH
OF THE JUDGE KAVANAUGH DEBATE,
WHICH IS BASICALLY TO SAY,
ABORTION AS DICTATED BY
ROE V. WADE IS AN UNASSAILABLE
POSITION IN AMERICAN LIFE AND
ANYONE WHO CRITICIZES IT IS AN
EXTREMIST.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAYS, NO,
ABORTION INVOLVES THE KILLING OF
AN UNBORN CHILD AND DECENT
PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IS NOT
RIGHT.
IT REALLY IS A SHAME THAT THE
MOTIVES OF PEOPLE SUCH AS THIS
PROPOSED JUDGE IN NEBRASKA ARE
IMPUGNED BECAUSE THEY ARE
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.
IN THE KNIGHTS DO A LOT OF
DISASTER RELIEF AND EVERYBODY IS
HAPPY WHEN THEY SHOW UP AT THE
BORDER, FIRE, AN EXPLOSION, BUT
IF THEY HAPPEN TO SAY THEY ALSO
BELIEVE WHAT THE CHURCH TEACHES
ABOUT HUMAN LIFE AND MARRIAGE,
SUDDENLY THEY ARE CALLED
EXTREMISTS AND THEY SAY, GET OUT
OF HERE.
THAT’S WRONG.
>> Shannon: TO THAT POINT, I
WANT TO READ AN OPEN LETTER
URGING TO VOTE AGAINST THIS MAN.
IT SAYS, "BASED ON HIS TRACK
RECORD OF PARTISAN ACTIVISM AND
DEEP-SEATED HOSTILITY TO LGBTQ
EQUALITY AND REPRODUCTIVE
FREEDOM, HE WOULD BE INCAPABLE
OF SERVING AS A FAIR AND NEUTRAL
ARBITER.
HE SHOULD NOT BE CONFIRMED FOR A
LIFETIME APPOINTMENT TO THE
FEDERAL JUDICIARY."
THAT SPARKS A QUESTION FOR ME,
IF THERE ARE PEOPLE OF OTHER
FAITHS, PROTESTANTISM,
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS, WITH
PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS FACE THE
SAME KIND OF QUESTIONS ON
CAPITOL HILL?
>> WELL, I HAVEN’T HEARD THAT
MUSLIM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO
WERE RECENTLY ELECTED, THEIR
RELIGION TEACHES THAT MARRIAGE
IS ONLY BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN
AND THEY DON’T INDOORS ABORTION.
NOBODY IS SAYING THAT THE MUSLIM AND THEY DON’T INDOORS ABORTION.
NOBODY IS SAYING THAT THE MUSLIM
FAITH MAKES YOU INCAPABLE OF
SERVING AS A LEGISLATOR, LET
ALONE A JUDGE.
I THINK IN THIS COUNTRY, THE
EXPERIENCES OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE
WHO FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION AND
DISCHARGE THEIR JUDICIAL
FUNCTIONS ARE GOOD, DECENT, AND
HONORABLE.
ACCORDING TO THE SENATORS, EVERY
PRACTICING CATHOLIC SHOULD QUIT
THE BENCH BECAUSE THEY ARE
EXTREMISTS.
THAT IS WRONG.
IF YOU WANT TO DEFEND ABORTION,
MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT, DON’T ATTACK
PEOPLE WHO THINK ABORTION IS
WRONG.
>> Shannon: THIS JUDGE HAS
ASSURED THEM THAT NO MATTER WHAT
HAPPENS, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS
HE WILL ADHERE TO PRESIDENT AND
NOT GO ROGUE, HE WILL DO WHAT IS
HIS DUTY AS A JUDGE AND BE
IMPARTIAL IN ALL CASES THAT COME