National Right to Life regrets strong pro-abortion record of Kerry's running mate

Washington D.C., Jul 6, 2004 / 22:00 pm

The National Right to Life Committee released yesterday a statement lamenting that "with John Edwards, Kerry has selected a running mate whose position is as extreme as his own, even opposing the ban on partial-birth abortions."

NRLC recalled in its statement that in 1999 Edwards voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, and in 2003 he attacked President Bush for signing the bill, which would ban partial-birth abortions unless necessary to save a mother's life.

Edwards also voted in favor of tax subsidies for abortion on demand for federal employees.

NRLC's Political Director Carol Tobias said that "'Laci and Conner's Law' would recognize unborn children as murder victims when they are killed by criminals in violent federal crimes.  This bill, also known as the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, was enacted this year despite Edwards' votes against it."

"During his nearly six years in the U.S. Senate, John Edwards  has consistently voted according to the dictates of hard-line pro-abortion advocacy groups, and contrary to the policies favored by most Americans," added Douglas Johnson, NRLC legislative director.

Whenever Edwards has been present to vote, he has supported the ongoing filibusters against President Bush's judicial nominees.  He voted six times in favor of the filibuster that blocked the confirmation of Miguel Estrada, who would have been the first Hispanic ever to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. 

Edwards also has voted in favor of the filibusters of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen and former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, who were nominated to federal courts of appeals.

NRLC offers more specific information on Edwards' voting record on life issues in its U.S. Senate scorecards at: http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/home/