$150,000 Campaign Also Praises True Pro-Life Democrats
Contact: Mallory Quigley, Susan B. Anthony List, 703-380-6674, mquigley@sba-list.org
WASHINGTON, April 6 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today the Susan B. Anthony List will launch a $150,000 radio advertisement and automated phone call campaign in the districts of Reps. Steve Driehaus (OH-1), Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3), Brad Ellsworth (IN-9) , Alan Mollohan (WV-1), and Bart Stupak (MI-1) to inform voters that their 'Yes' vote on healthcare reform forces taxpayers to pay for abortion:
"Leading up to the fateful vote on healthcare reform, the Susan B. Anthony List was working tirelessly to build up grassroots support and encouragement for self-labeled 'pro-life' Democrats, including Rep. Stupak," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of Susan B. Anthony List. "Since these Democrats instead traded their legislative power to prevent taxpayer funding of abortion for an Executive Order that did nothing to protect the status quo and address the fundamental taxpayer abortion funding problem in the bill, we have had to change course. Now, with severe disappointment, we go back to their districts to tell voters that their representative ushered in the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade. We will make sure that their constituents understand the enormous gravity of this pro-abortion vote."
In addition, SBA List will launch a phone campaign with a message praising the true pro-life Democrats. Reps. Gene Taylor (MS-4) and Dan Lipinski (IL-3) held their resolve and stood behind their principles.
The ad running in Rep. Stupak's district includes the following narration. Ads in other districts contain similar wording:
- "It was the ultimate betrayal.
"Congressman Bark Stupak told us he was pro-life. Stupak promised us he would protect the unborn. That he would stand firm...and lead the coalition to keep abortion funding out of the health care bill.
"But Bart Stupak betrayed us...and voted to spend federal dollars -- our dollars -- on abortions. He should be ashamed.
"...Tell Bart Stupak we will not forget."
Members of Congress and advocacy groups on both sides admit that President Obama's Executive Order is meaningless. On March 2, 2010, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, co-chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, told FOX News that "an executive order cannot change the law." The United States Conference of Catholic has said that "only a change in the law enacted by Congress, not an executive order, can begin to address this very serious problem in the legislation."
This latest grassroots campaign comes on the heels of last year's nearly $2 million effort to keep abortion out of healthcare which included targeted television and radio ads, 1.3 million automated calls, 60,000 patch-through constituent calls, 1.2 million letters and petitions to Congress and two media tours in pro-life Democratic districts.
The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of Americans, over 280,000 residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.