New York Candidate Scozzafava Calls Cops on Reporter Asking About Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 20, 2009
Albany, NY (LifeNews.com) — The New York special election for Congress has been heating up as pro-life advocates support a third-party candidate who is taking on a pro-abortion Democrat and pro-abortion Republican Dede Scozzafava. Now, news has surfaced that Scozzafava called the cops on a reporter asking her about abortion.
Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack tells of how he questioned Scozzafava after a political dinner last night.
"I spotted Scozzafava later as she was walking to the parking lot, and asked her, ‘Assemblywoman, do you believe that the health-care bill should exclude coverage for abortion?’" McCormack recounts.
"She didn’t reply. I asked her twice more. Silence," he wrote.
"After she got into her car, I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening’s events," McCormack said. "Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because ‘there was a little bit of an uncomfortable situation’ and then took down my name, date of birth, and address.
"Maybe we do things a little differently here, but you know, persisistence in that area, you scared the candidate a little bit," Officer Grolman told McCormack. "[Scozzafava] got startled, that’s all. It’s not like you’re in any trouble."
McCormack responded, "But I do wonder if it’s the Scozzafava campaign that’s in trouble … with a candidate who is unwilling to say she’d oppose a health care bill that raises taxes or includes abortion coverage and who is so reluctant to answer questions that she has someone with her campaign call the cops when she’s questioned by a reporter who is (if I may say so) polite–if a bit persistent."
To highlight the situation, Life and Liberty PAC, a conservative organization committed to electing pro- life candidates and defeating pro-abortion supporters, today announced an independent expenditure ad campaign for the upstate New York special election.
Opening with audio of President Obama saying "an acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree," the radio spot, titled "Acorn" takes aim at "Republican" candidate Dede Scozzafava, calling her "one liberal acorn falling right from Barack Obama’s liberal tree."
Blasting Scozzafava for backing abortion "up to the day of delivery," the ad notes that Scozzafava was rated only 15 percent conservative last year.
Describing the embattled GOP candidate as "Acorn’s Choice, Not Our Choice," the spot, aimed at conservative voters, is designed to drive Republicans to Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, who is closing on Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens in recent polls.
"The eyes of the nation are on New York’s Twenty Third Congressional District as to which direction our nation will take," Life and Liberty PAC spokesman Rick Shaftan told LifeNews.com.
"And here there are three distinct choices: a Barack Obama liberal, a left-wing so-called Republican who agrees with Obama on virtually everything, or a solid conservative ready to stand tall," he said.
Hoffman is pro-life while Owens is pro-abortion and both are vying with Scozzafava to represent the New York district that came open after an Obama appointment.
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