Crying Foul
Nov 15th, 2007 by Ted Pibil
Fred gets the endorsement of National Right to Life and an opponent cries foul:
Paul M. Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation, said the endorsement “makes no sense,” and speculated that it had been motivated by money.
“I think in all probability the Thompson people were engaged with the National Right to Life people in financial dealing,” said Mr. Weyrich, who has endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination.
“In the past, the Republican Party has funded National Right to Life, and while the committee can raise money on its own, it needs funding” from outside sources.
Weyrich endorsed Gov. Mitt Romney last week.
National Right to Life is understandably upset:
David O’Steen, the committee’s executive director, also scoffed at the assertion.
“He’s got to be joking,” Mr. O’Steen said. “There is absolutely no financial arrangement between the committee and the Thompson campaign or Fred Thompson.”
Thompson Communications Director Todd Harris released this statement:
Gov. Romney is new to the pro-life movement and his campaign clearly has a few things to learn about it. First, they should understand that despite their campaign’s every effort, groups like the National Right to Life Committee’s PAC (NRLC-PAC) cannot be bought. NRLC-PAC is supporting Fred Thompson because of Fred’s 100% pro-life voting record. They know he stood with them yesterday, he stands with them today, and he will stand with them tomorrow. It is unseemly for the Romney campaign and its supporters to suggest that NRLC-PAC’s coveted endorsement is based on a bribe. Second, this unfounded accusation is as outrageous as it is ironic, given the Romney campaign’s long history of spreading money around to anyone who will take it.
If the Romney campaign is looking for the reason they did not receive the NRLC-PAC endorsement, they can start with the fact that Gov. Romney was pro-choice just two years ago. They should also consider the fact that Gov. Romney’s own health care plan in Massachusetts offers taxpayer funded abortions for a mere $50 co-pay and requires by law that a representative from Planned Parenthood sit on the MassHealth advisory board. Tellingly, Gov. Romney made no such requirement for a representative from the pro-life movement.
The Romney campaign was clearly hoping for this endorsement and are now clearly upset. But being denied an endorsement is no excuse to impugn the integrity of the very organization they were just days ago trying to woo.
