Kay Ivey receives National Right to Life endorsement
The reelection campaign for Gov. Kay Ivey announced today that she has received an endorsement from the National Right to Life. The organization is the oldest and largest federation of state right-to-life affiliates and local chapters in the country. Governor Ivey thanked National Right to Life for their endorsement. “National Right to Life dedicates itself each and every day to protecting and defending our nation’s most precious asset – our next generation. I am humbled to accept their endorsement,” Ivey stated. “Our children are a gift from God, and I will never stop defending them. It’s easy to talk about protecting life, but it’s a different thing to act on it, and that’s what our state did when I signed the strongest pro-life bill in the entire nation, which struck at the core of Roe v. Wade itself,” said Ivey. “This bill is particularly important now in light of recent events in the United States Supreme Court. I pray that Roe v. Wade may be heading to the ash bins of history, I am hopeful that is the case.” Ivey continued: “In Alabama, we’ve set a national standard for what it truly means to protect unborn children. To no one’s surprise, Hollywood, the mainstream media, and the radical left had a come apart when I signed this bill. Who knew protecting innocent, unborn babies could be so controversial? Well, despite their best attempts to intimidate us into backing down, we didn’t flinch. I stand by Alabama’s pro-life values, and as long as I’m the governor of this state, I always will. Our children are a gift from God, and it is our responsibility to make sure that they are protected at all costs.” In 2019, Ivey signed the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, which made abortion and attempted abortion a felony offense. Now the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade, which will allow the 2019 law to go into effect. It will be considered one of the restricted abortion laws in the country. The act is what is considered a trigger law, and will take effect to outlaw abortion if the Supreme Court ever gives states control of abortion. In their endorsement letter to Governor Ivey, National Right to Life said, “Alabama voters who are concerned with the right to life and with the protection of vulnerable members of the human family should vote to re-elect you [Kay Ivey] as governor so that you can continue to advance vital pro-life public policies.”
Martha Roby picks up endorsement from National Right to Life
On Tuesday, National Right to Life announced its endorsement of Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby in her re-election efforts. The pro-life group praised Roby’s strong pro-life voice in Congress. “All voters who are concerned with the right to life and with the protection of the most vulnerable members of the human family should vote to return Representative Roby to Congress so that she can continue to work to advance vital pro-life public policies,” the group said in a statement. They also pointed out her 100 percent score based on her pro-life voting record and highlighted her leadership on several related legislative items: Roby cosponsored and voted in favor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, legislation that would ban abortion after 20 weeks. Roby cosponsored and voted in favor of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, a bill that would establish a permanent, government-wide policy against funding abortions or health insurance plans that cover them. Roby voted to block federal funding for Planned Parenthood. “I am grateful to the National Right to Life Committee for its unwavering commitment to the pro-life cause,” Roby said of the endorsement. “I am honored to have the support of this important organization, and I look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of those who cannot fight for themselves.”
Alabama lawmaker hopes to ban ‘barbaric’ abortion procedure
Under a proposed bill in the Alabama legislature, a commonly used second-trimester abortion procedure would be illegal in the Yellowhammer State. Introduced by State Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City), HB 376 the Alabama Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act, would ban the practice of dismemberment abortions, more commonly referred to as a D&E — dilation and evacuation. The House Health Committee on Wednesday held a public hearing to discuss Butler’s bill. There he called the procedure “barbaric.” According to the National Right to Life, “dismemberment abortions involve introducing a sharp instrument which is used to grasp and pull the child out, piece by piece. The child is alive during this torturous process and dies of bleeding out during the dismemberment.” According to the National Abortion Federation Abortion Training Textbook, “D&E remains the most prevalent method of second-trimester pregnancy termination in the USA, accounting for 96 percent of all second trimester abortions.” Bill Klein, President of Alabama Citizens For Life, weighed-in, “Alabama children should be protected by law from being torn limb from limb. No human should die this way in a civilized society. It shows a total disrespect for the sanctity of human life.” Monday, neighboring Mississippi became the fourth state to enact a similar measure, following West Virginia, Kansas and Oklahoma. According to National Right to Life, Butler’s legislation — based on the pro-life organization’s model bill — also has been introduced in Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Utah and may be taken up in several other states. State Sen. Phil Williams (R-Rainbow City) has also introduced SB 363, a companion bill, in the Senate. The Senate Health Committee will also hold its hearing on Wednesday. The House Health Committee closed its hearing Wednesday without a vote, but Butler says he expects it to be passed in the committee next week.
Federal judge rules Alabama abortion restriction unconstitutional
A federal judge struck down parts of a controversial Alabama law Friday that requires abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson had blocked the state from enforcing the law, but went on to rule it unconstitutional last week. Thompson ruled that the provision puts an undue burden on women and would cause many abortion clinics to close: Four of Alabama’s five clinics would likely have been forced to close had the provision been upheld. “The impact of the law on the right of Alabama women to choose to have an abortion will simply be enormous,” Thompson wrote. “The staff privileges requirement would make it impossible for a woman to obtain an abortion in much of the State. It is certain that thousands of women per year – approximately 40 percent of those seeking abortions in the State would be unduly burdened.” The provision in question came from the 2014 Women’s Health and Safety Act, which put in place a litany of requirements for abortion clinics, including requirements that clinics be classified as an “ambulatory service” and adhere to all of the restrictions therein. “We applaud the court for protecting women’s access to safe, legal abortion in Alabama,” Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said in a news release. “As a health care provider, we’ve seen the grim consequences for women when politicians put safe abortion out of reach.” The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of a similar Texas law. In its statement, Planned Parenthood noted that a study published in the American Journal of Public Health shows “the harm to Texas women facing tremendous hurdles to access safe, legal abortion, including traveling hundreds of miles, multi-day trips, and increased cost – if they can access an abortion at all.” Neither National Right to Life or the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition responded to requests for comment on the recent ruling.
On heels of major endorsements, Bradley Byrne releases first TV ad of 2016
On the heels of two major endorsements from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and National Right to Life, U.S. Rep. Bradley Bryne (AL-01) released his first TV ad of the 2016 cycle his campaign said Wednesday. The 30-second spot, called “Our Values,” says: One hundred percent pro-life. One hundred percent pro-gun. Alabama’s most conservative Member of Congress. Bradley Byrne. He stood up to President Obama to keep America safe from terrorism. To end Obama’s Amnesty, to keep ISIS refugees from moving here. To rebuild our military and support the troops. The National Review said Byrne proves a conservative can rack up legislative wins, and quickly. Bradley Byrne: the real Alabama conservative. BYRNE: I’m Bradley Byrne and I approve this Message. The ad will begin on cable and make its way to broadcast next week. Byrne’s campaign has $600,000 more cash on hand than his primary challenger Dean Young, whom according to Federal Election Commission filings has only reported donations from six individuals of which only two are 1st District residents. “Bradley has broad support across Southwest Alabama, and he is excited to get out the message about his consistent conservative record,” said a member of the Byrne campaign. “Our team has been impressed by the support Bradley has received and our polling numbers are strong, but we aren’t leaving anything to chance.” You can watch the entire ad here:
GOP White House hopefuls scramble for anti-abortion vote
Trying to distinguish themselves in front of an important group of social conservative activists, Republican White House hopefuls on Friday used the National Right to Life Convention to share personal stories and detail the abortion restrictions they’ve helped write into law. The question now is whether the scramble helps or hinders an anti-abortion movement seeking unity as Republicans look to win back the presidency next November. National Right to Life Political Director Karen Cross urged the assembly to “make a decision right now that the issue of life trumps all else.” “There is no such thing as the perfect candidate,” she warned. Carol Tobias, the group’s president, argued in an interview that President Barack Obama benefited in both of his national victories from social conservatives who didn’t back John McCain in 2008 or Mitt Romney in 2012. “The quickest way to defeat a pro-lifer,” Tobias said, “is to fall in love with your candidate and then get your feelings hurt when they don’t win the nomination.” The candidates gave repeated nods to those sentiments, praising each other and hammering Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton, who supports abortion rights. Still, they spent most of their energy asserting their own conservative supremacy on the issue. Santorum boasted of how he sponsored the federal law that bans certain late-term abortion procedures after initially soft-pedaling his abortion stance because of Pennsylvania’s closely divided electorate. “You know me; there’s no quit in this dog,” he said. “Go ahead and nominate somebody who’s just going to go along. Then try to convince yourself you’ll make a difference.” Rick Perry predicted the next president will nominate as many as four Supreme Court justices — who could presumably overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationally. “If I have the opportunity to put justices on the Supreme Court, they will not be squishy,” the former Texas governor said. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio explained his abortion opposition as “inseparable from the effort to reclaim the American dream … for every child,” and recalled abortion restrictions he helped pass as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Jeb Bush, whose tenure as Florida governor overlapped Rubio’s speakership, mentioned some of the same laws in a video presentation. He did not physically attend the convention. Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, has never held elected office, but he blasted abortion providers as “evil.” Tobias said her group doesn’t wade into primaries in part because it’s hard to find meaningful distinctions between candidates, though she acknowledged the campaigns will find them. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie supported abortion rights earlier in his career, something he generally avoids talking about now. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker celebrated passage of a new state ban on most abortions beyond the 20th week of pregnancy. Yet late in his 2014 re-election campaign, he aired an ad in which he affirmed his abortion opposition while emphasizing that Wisconsin law “leaves the final decision to a woman and her doctor.” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has sponsored a ban on abortions after 20 weeks. But some conservatives blast him for voting to confirm Obama’s two Supreme Court nominees. Tobias said those details sometimes matter to abortion opponents, but she maintained that nitpicking is counter-productive. For many anti-abortion voters, she said, choosing a primary candidate is about “trust” and “personal feel” rather than policy. The candidates’ approaches here suggest they understand that. Rubio and Perry talked about seeing their children on ultrasounds during pregnancy. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, talked about how he gravitated to pediatric surgery because of how much he values children. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal talked Thursday night about having to defend his anti-abortion stance in his interviews for medical school. Santorum tells the story of doctors advising that his daughter, Bella, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, would not have a good quality of life and could die as an infant. “There is no better way to preach the gospel of life,” Santorum said Friday, than to have school-age Bella “in the White House.” Public opinion, meanwhile, remains divided. An Associated Press-GfK poll conducted in January and February found that 51 percent of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 45 percent think it should be illegal in most or all cases. At NARAL Pro-Choice America, a leading abortion rights advocacy group, Sasha Bruce said that means Republicans “are fighting over a slice of the minority,” putting them at a disadvantage in November. Tobias countered that among voters who rank abortion as a key issue in deciding on a candidate, “we win a majority of them.” Her movement’s job, she said, is to increase the share of voters who cast their vote “based on the life issue. If we do, we win.” Bruce said her organization is focused on educating general election voters about the success abortion opponents have had limiting abortion access through state-by-state restrictions. “They aren’t overturning Roe v. Wade, but they’re just chipping away,” she said. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
