Missouri Governor Blunt Takes Newspaper to Task on His Abortion Record
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 16, 2008
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) — Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is taking a newspaper to task over its coverage of his pro-life record on abortion issues. Blunt says the Springfield News-Leader published a recent article that made it appear he reneged on the pro-life promises he made as a candidate.
Blunt said the paper published an article on June 11 "falsely asserting that I did not fulfill my campaign promises on pro-life issues."
"Not only was the article incorrect, the reporter who wrote it failed to contact my office for a response to his assertion or to request information about my record of supporting a culture of life," Blunt added.
In the article, the News-Leader wrote about the state amendment Missouri Right to Life and other pro-life advocates want to prohibit human cloning. The amendment would close loopholes in Amendment 2 from 2006 that allows human cloning for research purposes.
The story discussed Sarah Steelman and Kenny Hulshof, two pro-life advocates who are seeking to replace Blunt, and the paper claimed they may not fulfill promises to the pro-life movement and it claimed Blunt has not done so.
"Both have promised hard-line anti-abortion policies if elected. But there are doubts within the anti-abortion movement ranks that either will fulfill their election year promises — as has been the case with past politicians, including Blunt," the newspaper wrote.
That upset Blunt and prompted the governor to submit a letter to the editor in response.
Although Blunt has upset pro-life advocates with his support for embryonic stem cell research and Amendment 2, he has promoted pro-life policies on abortion and said as much in the letter.
Blunt discussed the special session he called in 2005 to pass bills on abortion health and safety for women, enhancing parental consent laws, and protecting parental rights.
He talked about the tax credit for donations to pregnancy centers from 2006, the Alternatives to Abortion program permanency from 2007, and putting more abortion center regulations in place.
Blunt also discussed his efforts to get outside pro-life legal help when pro-abortion Attorney General Jay Nixon refused to defend state abortion limits.
"The pro-life legislation we have enacted over the last three and a half years has protected the rights of the most vulnerable," Blunt concluded. "I hope the News-Leader checks the record and the facts next time before making an assertion."
