Right to Life, Pro-Life Groups Withdraw Endorsement of Bart Stupak on Abortion

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Mar 24, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Right to Life, Pro-Life Groups Withdraw Endorsement of Bart Stupak on Abortion

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 24
, 2010

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Due to his backing the pro-abortion health care bill President Barack Obama signed into law, pro-life groups in Michigan have withdrawn their endorsement of Stupak in the November congressional elections. Right to Life of Michigan, Flint Right to Life and Black Americans for Life rescinded their support.

Stupak has come under fire for endorsing the pro-abortion bill and getting other lawmakers to back it in exchange for a dubious executive order that likely won’t prohibit abortion funding.

Today, Right to Life of Michigan announced that its PAC notified Stupak that his endorsement was rescinded.

In a letter sent to Rep. Stupak, the RLM-PAC qualified how the endorsement criteria was no longer met.

"The letter noted the endorsement had been based on Rep. Stupak’s voting record, previous interview and completion of a questionnaire in which Rep. Stupak indicated he would oppose any efforts to include federally funded abortion in national health care plans," RLM noted.

The letter also said Stupak had promised to "support efforts to specifically exclude federally funded abortion in national health care plans" and "be willing to vote against federal funding of abortion except where necessary to save the life of the mother."

"On March 21, Rep. Stupak failed to meet those requirements by voting for President Barack Obama’s health care bill, H.R. 3590," Right to Life said.

The Right to Life of Michigan Political Action Committee board met on Tuesday and unanimously voted to withdraw the group’s endorsement of Stupak.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said, "We are deeply disappointed and dismayed that Rep. Bart Stupak (D) approved of a compromise in the form of an executive order. With the compromise, some pro-life U.S. House Democrats supported the health care bill."

The executive order promised by President Obama was issued for political effect, Listing said.

"It changes nothing. It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill. The president cannot amend a bill by issuing an order, and the federal courts will enforce what the law says," she added.

The decision comes after Flint Right to Life and Black Americans for Life said they would drop their support of Stupak.

"His support of this national healthcare bill changed America forever and declared war on unborn babies, the elderly and disabled persons," the groups told LifeNews.com in a statement earlier this week.

"Obama is the most pro-abortion President in the history of our Nation, and Mr. Stupak did this knowing full well that this president can, with the stroke of his pen, reverse any previous Executive Order he signs," they said.

"It’s time to make a believer out of him as to what a pro-life endorsement really means. We are very tired of those who sacrifice the innocent for their own personal gain," the groups added.

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