Roe v. Wade attorney headlines Lawless fundraiser

WARWICK - Sarah Weddington, the winning attorney in the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade, will headline a fundraiser for second district congressional candidate Jennifer Lawless on March 14. The event, "An Intimate Reception with Sarah Weddington," will start at noon at The Hi-Hat at Davol Square in Providence, according to a release from the Lawless campaign, which is based in Warwick.

"I am very excited that Sarah Weddington will be joining me for this great event," said Lawless in prepared remarks. "(She) is a huge part of the reason that women have access to a full range of reproductive health options, and there is no more crucial a time than now for us to work fervently to preserve that access."

In 1973, Weddington successfully argued Roe v. Wade before the Supreme Court, establishing national precedent for legal abortion in the United States. Weddington subsequently authored the book, "A Question of Choice," which detailed the case and the ensuing fight to preserve reproductive freedom. She has also made a name for herself breaking down barriers for women in the fields of government and law.

In the early 1970s, Weddington became the first woman from Austin to serve in the Texas House of Representatives. In 1977, she was the first woman ever to hold the title of general counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. From 1978 to 1981, she served as assistant to President Jimmy Carter, directing the Administration's work on women's issues and leadership outreach. From 1983 to 1985, she was the first female director of the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations.

This article appeared on March 2, 2006, in the Warwick Beacon.