New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Blasts Pro-Abortion Casey Supporters

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 28, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Blasts Pro-Abortion Casey Supporters Email this article
Printer friendly page

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 28, 2006

New York, NY (LifeNews.com) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has always been an abortion advocate who pushes the envelope further than some of his counterparts.

In 2004, he was a leading figure in the largest pro-abortion fundraiser ever held at the GOP convention and, before that, he was responsible for pushing for mandatory abortion training for doctors in NYC medical programs.

So, for some observers, it comes as no surprise that Bloomberg has lashed out at his fellow abortion advocates over their support for Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate Bob Casey, who opposes abortion.

Though Casey is running against pro-life Sen. Rick Santorum, who is a Republican like Bloomberg, it’s clear the New York City mayor puts his abortion politics ahead of his partisan views.

At a NARAL New York event on Thursday, Bloomberg criticized abortion advocates who support pro-life candidates saying pro-abortion people must "exercise vigilance" so that lawmakers do not "try to nuance themselves away from that commitment in the interest of political expediency."

His comments were directed at Sen. Chuck Schumer, a pro-abortion New York Democrat who heads up the Senate election efforts for his party and recruited Casey to run against Santorum. Some Democrats and pro-abortion groups and officials, like Sen. Hillary Clinton, also of New York, say Casey is the best hope Democrats have of knocking off Santorum.

"Reproductive choice is a fundamental human right, and we can never take it for granted," Bloomberg responded, according to the New York Sun. "[O]n this issue, you’re either with us or against us."