Indiana

Right to Life Aborts Behney Endorsement

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

There’s nothing like a play on words.  I got a news release this afternoon from Indiana Right to Life saying it’s rescinding its endorsement of  Republican U.S. Senate candidate Richard Behney.

According to the release, Behney reportedly made some unflattering remarks about some of the organizations pro-life leadership…

“One of the things I’m most disappointed about in running for the United States Senate – I’ve met many people here – I’ve met many of these leaders – pro-life leaders – here in our state. And I’m convinced as sure as I’m standing here that they are more concerned with their egos and with their jobs than with saving lives.”

That led to this comment by Indiana Right To Life PAC Chairman Mike Fichter…

“Mr. Behney’s comment reveals an uninformed and cynical view of what drives Indiana’s pro-life leaders to invest their lives in the most selfless of causes by speaking on behalf of unborn children,” states IRTL-PAC chairman Mike Fichter. “Indiana’s pro-life leaders are mostly volunteers who give sacrificially of their time and money so that children they will never meet might be given a chance at life. This is the heartbeat of Indiana’s pro-life movement.”

Fichter, who has never met Behney, is not aware of Behney ever meeting with any member of the Indiana Right to Life board of directors or any president of one of Indiana Right to Life’s 38 county affiliates.

“An error of perception and judgment of this magnitude, and concerning allies in the fight for the unborn, has caused us to lose confidence in him and his reliability, so much so that we cannot recommend him to voters,” says Fichter.

It’s rare that  I write about abortion because of my personal views on the issue.  However, in this context, because the race for the U.S. Senate being so fluid and any current or eddy can change the dynamics of the race, this was something worth writing about.

Abortion is a heated issue, particularly in a Republican primary, and with every candidate trying be more pro-life than the next, this news may officially kill whatever chance Behney had left  winning his party’s nomination.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on April 26, 2010 (boomark / email).