Aug 21, 2012 No Comments ›› Pat Dollard
(THE DAILY CALLER) In light of the “legitimate rape” fiasco caused by Missouri Republican Rep. Todd Akin, Democrats are seeking to tar Republican congressional candidates who supported the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion” bill in 2011 because an original version of the legislation used the phrase “forcible rape” before it was removed.
But these Democrats are downplaying the fact that the final version of the bill voted on by the House of Representatives didn’t include that phrase and 16 Democrats ended up voting for the legislation.
The original version of the bill prevented taxpayer funding for abortion, with several exceptions including victims of “forcible rape.” Opponents expressed fear that the phrasing could mean abortions wouldn’t be financed for women who are victims of statutory rape or situations like rape from drugs.
At least five vulnerable Democrats running in tight re-election contests, along with 235 Republicans, voted for the bill after the phrase “forcible rape” was taken out.
Those candidates included Illinois Rep. Jerry Costello, Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Critz, Utah Rep. Jim Matheson, North Carolina Rep. Mike McIntyre and West Virginia Rep. Nick Rahall.
Yet, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is reviving the issue in response to the firestorm created by Akin, who has nearly been pushed out of the Missouri U.S. Senate race because of his comments about rape and pregnancy.
It’s part of the plan to paint Republicans as having an “anti-women agenda,” as Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz claimed in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
