Democrats for Life Attacks Pro-Life Susan B. Anthony List on ObamaCare, Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 18, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The renegade "pro-life" organization Democrats for Life of America has set its sights on another pro-life group after initially attacking the National Right to Life Committee. DFLA is now going after the Susan B. Anthony List because SBA is letting voters know about candidates who voted for the abortion-funding health care bill.
At issue is whether or not the legislation funds abortion — which every other pro-life group explains is no longer in dispute, especially after the Obama administration attempted to fund abortions in three states via ObamaCare before it was exposed.
DFLA’s attack comes after Cincinnati, Ohio congressman Steve Driehaus filed a criminal complaint against the SBA List for trying to purchase billboard advertisements saying he voted for taxpayer funding of abortions by voting for the ObamaCare bill.
The Ohio Elections Commission ruled initially in Driehaus’ favor, saying SBA List is supposedly wrong to make the accusation.
DFLA seized on the ruling and issued a statement LifeNews.com received today saying the Susan B. Anthony List is acting "with reckless disregard for the truth in their campaign claim that Congressman Driehaus voted in favor of taxpayer funded abortion when he voted for" the ObamaCare bill.
She went on to say SBA is "lying" and that its "lies" will "have consequences."
"We knew all along that we had the truth on our side and we are pleased that the Commission ruled in our favor," DFLA president Kristen Day said.
"We are disappointed in those who would mischaracterize the pro-life Democrats vote for political gain," she added, and claimed, "Driehaus did not vote for taxpayer funded abortions because there is no federal funding for abortion in [it]."
Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B. Anthony List, responded in a statement to LifeNews.com.
“For a group that only wants a fair debate over the issues, they have a funny way of showing it. Open and honest debate is the last thing the Democrats for Life are fighting for. They’re willing to resort to criminal statutes to stifle our position," she said.
"Ironically, ours is the position that pro-life Democrats themselves held before they changed their minds. It’s also the position of the National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Ohio Right to Life and numerous other organizations and policy experts," Dannenfelser continued.
The SBA list president says DFLA is taking a hpocritical position by abandoning the main pro-life Democrat in Congress who wouldn’t go along with Stupak, Driehaus and others.
"Congressman Dan Lipinski deserves better than what he has gotten from Democrats for Life. He stood firm in the position that the Senate language was unacceptable and that position was well articulated in Bart Stupak’s own press release in December. Where is the political activity for Lipinski from Democrats for Life?" she asked.
Day admitted in her statement that her group submitted an affidavit to the Ohio election agency in support of Driehaus and against the pro-life organization — going on record as supporting putting Dannenfelser in jail over the billboard.
The National Right to Life Committee also submitted a statement — but its legal papers supported the pro-life group and opposed the abortion funding in the bill and subjecting SBA List staff to potential jail time for telling the truth.
"Congressman Steve Driehaus, and Kristin Day of Democrats for Life of America, are trying to put Marjorie Dannenfelser, the mother of five, in jail. Why?" Douglas Johnson, the legislative director of the group, told LifeNews.com Monday morning.
He pointed out that Driehaus himself was saying the legislation couldn’t obtain his support because of the abortion funding — until he and other members of the coalition with retiring Michigan congressman Bart Stupak flip-flopped.
Related web sites:
Susan B. Anthony List – https://www.sba-list.org
NRLC – https://www.nrlc.org
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