Terri Schiavo’s Ex-Husband Blasts Pro-Life Congresswoman at Event 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 13, 2006
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) — In town for an evening fundraiser for a Democratic congressional candidate, Terri Schiavo’s former husband attended a campaign event and blasted a pro-life congresswoman. Michael Schiavo chastised pro-life Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Colorado Republican, saying she wrongly inserted herself into the national debate over Terri’s situation.
Schiavo appeared at the event with state Rep. Angie Paccione, a Ft. Collins Democrat who is challenging Musgrave this fall.
Musgrave was one of hundreds of members of Congress of both parties to vote for legislation asking federal courts to review Florida court decisions preventing Terri’s parents from stopping Michael’s efforts to take her life by denying her food and water.
Congress eventually approved the bill when the Senate voted for it unanimously and President Bush signed it into law. However, federal courts ruled it unconstitutional and would not review the court case seeking to uphold Terri’s right to live.
Schiavo blasted Musgrave for supporting the bill.
"Who gave her the right to speak about Terri?" Schiavo asked and blamed her for "injecting herself and her values into the private lives of Americans."
"Why do they think they need to stick their noses into our personal lives?" Schiavo said.
Schiavo also wrote a scathing letter to Musgrave and invited local media to watched him as he hand-delivered to her local office.
"I continue to believe that you took advantage of my family’s situation for political gain without regard for who you hurt," Schiavo wrote. "While I sought only dignity for Terri, you played to the camera, and you played to a waiting crowd of political extremists."
In a one-sentence statement provided to the Rocky Mountain News, Musgrave said she has "only compassion for Michael and Terri’s family, and all those who have lost a loved one."
State Republican Chairman Bob Martinez condemned Michael’s campaigning.
"I can’t help but believe that the majority of Coloradoans were appalled to learn that Michael Schiavo is helping political candidates profit off his wife’s death," Martinez said.
Schiavo told the newspaper that, while Terri’s family works to make sure the disabled and elderly get proper medical care, he will do anything necessary to go after pro-life lawmakers who voted for the bill and support candidates like Paccione who think assisted suicide and euthanasia is okay.
"I will go as far as I need to go," Schiavo said.
He indicated he will campaign for candidates in other states and likely speak out about the 2008 presidential elections.
Terri spent 15 years in a minimally conscious state, although she was able to communicate in a limited manner with her parents and others. After years of court battles, Michael won the right to kill her via euthanasia and told doctors to remove the feeding tube that provided her with food and water.
Terri died on March 31, 2005 after a painful 15-day starvation and dehydration death.
Related web sites:
Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation – https://www.terrisfight.org
