Posted on 07/29/2010 5:43:17 AM PDT by earlJam
Georgia Right To Life crosses the line in criticism of Karen Handel
Posted by fmaidment (Profile)
Thursday, July 22nd at 6:08PM EDT 11 Comments
From the diaries by Erick.
Georgia Right To Life has taken issue with Karen Handel’s candidacy for the Republican nomination for the Georgia Governor’s race, but Handel isn’t taking it lying down. In a release yesterday on their website, GRTL took direct aim at Handel over funding the Fulton County Commission provided to Planned Parenthood.
Mrs. Karen Handel is not pro-life, regardless of her statements to the contrary and despite her “many pro-life endorsements”. During her tenure as Chair of the Fulton County Commission, Planned Parenthood received $1.2 million over three years. [emphasis GRTL]
Yesterday, GRTL Executive Director Melanie Crozier had this to say about Sarah Palin endorsing Handel:
“I would say that we definitely will get involved as much as we can financially and throw our support behind [primary opponent] Nathan Deal,” Melanie Crozier, executive director of the Georgia Right to Life political action committee, told POLITICO.
The pro-life organization took particular issue with Handel’s support for abortions in the case of rape and incest and said she didn’t support enough restrictions to in vitro fertilization.
Because of those positions, Crozier said her organization was surprised by Palin’s endorsement, but said it was just another example of Palin trying to pick a winning female candidate.
“[Palin] has a son with Down’s Syndrome, and under Karen Handel’s laws, Handel would have felt like it was ok to go in and abort that child,” said Crozier. “But when you look at Sarah Palin’s pattern—going out finding mainly women candidates that were in the lead and endorsing them, that’s not really a surprise. She saw Handel had a decent lead, so I think she sort of jumped on the bandwagon.”
The Handel campaign fired back today with the following statement:
“This is a cruel and revolting lie and shows just how low GRTL leaders are willing to go for a political attack,” Handel said. “I am deeply offended, and I can only imagine how offensive these callous remarks are to Governor Palin and her family – and to all Georgians.”
Handel, who is pro-life, does not and has never held any belief that could remotely be construed as supporting the act Crozier describes.
“My little sister was born with a rare, life-threatening medical condition – one that few, if any, babies at that time had ever survived. It took miraculous, experimental neonatal care to save her and years of surgeries to ensure her the best that life can offer,” Handel said. “My parents knew that she would likely be born with a health issue that she would likely not survive, but they chose life. In doing so, they gave me a sister whom I love more than I could ever express – a wonderful young woman who has enriched my life beyond measure. GRTL’s assertions that I would ever support what they claim are outrageous, untrue, and way, way over the line.”
OK HOW CAN WE BE THIS STUPID??
WHY WOULD YOU NEED AN ABORTION IN THE CASE OF RAPE- TAKE 10 BIRTH CONTROL PILLS THE NEXT DAY AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO HAVE ONE
I like Sara but Nathan Deal has a proven record as a solid conservative in Congress, we know what he’ll do as Governor. He gets my vote.
Looks as if the RATS are also infiltrating the RTL movement.
taking 10 birth control pills the next day ...
IS an abortion
from the article:
“Look behind you, Ms. Crozier. There’s the line.”
Defeat Handel! Vote Deal! Wake up Georgia voters!
Abortion for “rape and incest” is a lie!
Nobody has ever proposed a law with those restrictions!
Deal ran away from Congress because he was under an ethical cloud. Georgia can do better. I would rather an honest governor rather than a perfect one. I vote Handel.
GRTL has not been infiltrated by leftist.They know whom the conservative is in this race.The other candidates in the primary are giving their support to Deal.He is the conservative in the race.
Please describe the cloud and also who is behind the accusations.Redstate is in the tank for handle.
Some of our Georgia FReeperas are also saying Handel is pro gay.
Mrs. Karen Handel is not pro-life, regardless of her statements to the contrary and despite her “many pro-life endorsements”. During her tenure as Chair of the Fulton County Commission, Planned Parenthood received $1.2 million over three years.
************************
If this is correct, Handel is not pro-life.
This statement makes no sense to me. It's just so much parsing of words, that it seems to me that whoever said it knows it's weak.
"...would have felt like..." ???
Sorry, but this kind of attack is lame.
Handel IS pro-life:
***************
Karen Handel:
I believe that each and every unborn child has inherent dignity, that every abortion is a tragedy, and that government has a role, along with the faith community, in encouraging women to choose life in even the most difficult of circumstances.
And while I will not seek to prohibit abortions in the extremely rare cases of rape, incest, or where there is a real threat to the life of the mother, I will do everything in my power to encourage and promote alternatives to abortion in these tragic situations.
In this respect, I strongly support the noble work of crisis-pregnancy centers across the state and those who compassionately and lovingly counsel women on a daily basis.
Finally, I oppose embryonic stem cell research, which creates life solely for the purpose of destroying it. I do, however, strongly support adult stem cell research, which has produced numerous scientific achievements without terminating innocent lives in the process.
My opponents have recently recycled old attacks against me concerning Fulton County’s funding of some programs through Planned Parenthood. They are doing so without providing any context and continue to omit several key and important facts.
First, let me be clear, since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood. During my time as Chairman of Fulton County, there were federal and state pass-through grants that were awarded to Planned Parenthood for breast and cervical cancer screening, as well as a “Healthy Babies Initiative.” The grant was authorized, regulated, administered and distributed through the State of Georgia.
Because of the criteria, regulations and parameters of the grant, Planned Parenthood was the only eligible vendor approved to meet the state criteria. Additionally, none of the services in any way involved abortions or abortion-related services.
In fact, state and federal law prohibits the use of taxpayer funds for abortions or abortion related services and I strongly support those laws. Since grants like these are from the state I’ll eliminate them as your next Governor.
***********************
I would like to know more about this. Did Handel vote to give the funds to Planned Parenthood? Did she authorize it? Or was she just on the County Commission when the funding went through?
If she was just on the commission without voting for or authorizing the funds going to Planned Parenthood, the Nathan Deal is just as culpable for being in Congress when funds went to Planned Parenthood through their funding.
It is true, as is her Log Cabin republicans donation.
Of the 7 candidates running, she was the least conservative. The top four could beat democrat Barnes so that is not an excuse. She skipped the debates which makes me worry she won’t take on Barnes or Obama. And she has been very vague on issues without real plans or proposals - my pick was Eric Johnson, who developed a comprehensive immigration policy in 1995 that rivals Jan Brewers. He also had sound proposals in other areas. In my opinion he (and Chapman and McBerry) also totally trounced the other candidates in the debates.
Deal was threatened with ethics questions put out there by democrats - but were unsubstantiated. My only beef with Deal was during the debate he said he would work with Washington on immigration. But he is a fighter, and has voted consistently conservative as his constituents will tell you.
So anyway, we are in a real pickle - we have no grassroots conservative to vote for. This runoff SHOULD have been between Eric Johnson (grassroots, local politician) and Nathan Deal (Washington insider), and would have been without the endorsements.
Nathan Deal has some gall... considering he decided he was a Republican AFTER the 1994 takeover of the house.
Wrong. Any financial support of Planned Parenthood supports abortion.
Deal switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican after the 1994 election...
So this guy was a DEM, switched to republican when it was to his political benefit, and he’s being praised as a staunch conservative?
Sounds like another Spector to me...
From the Georgia Right to Life Web Site:
Mrs. Karen Handel Oversees $1.2 Million Grant
for Planned Parenthood
Dear Friend
Mrs. Karen Handel is not pro-life, regardless of her statements to the contrary and despite her “many pro-life endorsements”. During her tenure as Chair of the Fulton County Commission, Planned Parenthood received $1.2 million over three years. The initial award amount in March 2005 was $425,568 along with two renewals for September 2005 and October 2006; each for $425,568. The total amount of the award was $1,276,704. We have a transcript of the meeting (available on our website) which clearly indicates that she did not raise an objection or speak-out in any way against the original provision which ultimately funded Planned Parenthood each year, for three years at $425,568/yr. She voted “YES”.
In her own words she defended the action,
“Because of the criteria, regulations and parameters of the grant, Planned Parenthood was the only eligible vendor approved to meet the state criteria. Additionally, none of the services were related in any way to abortions or abortion related services.”
This statement is an evasion of the truth. All truly pro-life legislators and candidates are aware that the money which Fulton County taxpayers provide to Planned Parenthood go toward paying salaries and other non-abortion overhead; this, in turn, allows for other undesignated money to be used for the “services” that are mentioned in the grant.
“Vendor is recognized nationally for providing excellent, culturally appropriate reproductive health services to women and teens.”
“Culturally appropriate reproductive health services”, as any pro-lifer knows, is a euphemism for abortion. How many children died as a result of this $1.2 million grant to Planned Parenthood under her oversight?
On March 16, 2005 the Fulton County Commission met to discuss five funding requests for various “services” provided to the county. They ranged from providing concrete, to monitoring storm drains, trash disposal and fence repair. There was sharp debate on the issue of trash disposal, but sadly Chair Handel had nothing to say regarding the $425,568.00 of funding to Planned Parenthood which was item number two. Item 2 elicited no debate. Trash trumps children.
From the March 16, 2005 minutes:
“A motion was made by Commissioner Lowe and seconded by Commissioner Riley to approve numbers 1, 2 [Planned Parenthood], 3, and 5.” (click here)
Commission Chair Handel: “All right. Please vote on one, two, three and five.” (click here)
“The motion carried by a unanimous vote of 7-0-0. Commission Chair Handel, Vice Chair Darnell, and Commissioners Pitts, Riley, Lowe, Boxill, and Edwards voted yes. (click here)
Commission Chair Handel: “That item’s passed. I need a motion to hold four, please.”
(click here)
She asked for a motion to table a trash disposal bid, while remaining ominously silent on provisioning America’s leading abortion provider and filling their coffers with taxpayer funds, that in turn, released other revenue to fund abortions and abortion referrals.
From the grant (contract is available on our website):
“Purpose: Planned Parenthood of Georgia, Inc. will continue to provide family planning services to a minimum of 5,000 unduplicated users. Services will be available on a walk-in basis to the target population.”
Mrs. Handel alleges (on her website) that these funds were appropriate and used only “to provide screening for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical and breast cancer.” However, no where in the grant does it so stipulate. It does mention a “target population”. When we consider that all of Georgia’s Planned Parenthood “clinics” are located in majority minority neighborhoods, it throws a new light on “who” the “target population” is. Couple that fact with the fact that Georgia, according to the CDC, kills proportionately more black children through abortion than any other state in the nation and Mrs. Handel’s silence is chilling.
Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of abortions in the US. Nationwide, the organization is responsible for one out of every five abortions in the US. Planned Parenthood receives 33% of its revenue from government grants and contracts such as those supplied by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under Karen Handel and funded by taxpayers.
Georgia has one of the ten highest abortion rates in the nation. In 2006, Fulton County had the highest number of abortions in the state. Fulton accounted for 15% of all of the abortions in Georgia.
For these and many other reasons please reject Mrs. Handel’s pro-life claims. Georgia Right to Life has rejected her claim through the years and we are not alone. The Susan B. Anthony List, a nationally acclaimed organization with ONE purpose . . . to elect pro-life women, has chosen not to endorse her candidacy. What does this say of her false claim to being pro-life?
Please vote as if someone’s life depended on it; because someone’s does.
http://app.e2ma.net/app2/campaigns/archived/31756/de0071d70b7ff645eff2253b53f35aaa/
These things often go hand in hand. It also seems that more and more, Republican candidates are claiming to be pro-life when they support Planned Parenthood and pro-choice laws. It’s going to be a challenge in coming elections.
Thank you!
It is insane to believe that Big Murder (aka Planned Parenthood) has a baby killing business that is totally separate from their less-lethal “womens health” business.
ALL of these grants do nothing more than allow Big Murder to keep the cost of abortions down. A HUGE cost for any large business is administrative overhead and a portion of all revenue goes toward that.
The mindset that believes we can give Big Murder money without some of it being used to kill babies is the EXACT SAME MINDSET that believed that the “Oil for Food” Program would help the Iraqi people and not Saddam.
Agreed...no former or current dem will get my vote.
I’m also disappointed in Palin for endorsing Handel. I do question the strategy of promoting candidates because they are women. It can easily lead to overlooking some very important issues.
I guess you wouldn’t have voted for Ronald Reagan or a guy like Zell Miller either.
Are you from Ga.? Do you know Nathan Deal's voting record? If you did you would NEVER compare him to Spector.... many conservative Democrats have crossed over and become even more conservative as they lived and observed conseqences of liberalism... Look at Zell Miller - He was a Democrat but very conservative (From Ga.) Nathan Deal co-sponsor of Fair Tax Nathan Deal endorsed by Several Right to Life organizations Nathan Deal endorsed by NRA... There is just something that bothers me about Karen Handel....
“Zell Miller”
Great minds think alike.... would love to hear his thoughts on what’s going on in Washington today! I bet he would give Obama an earful :)
Anyone who funds Planned Parenthood is the same as a Democrat.
It's not Georgia RTL that is going the Democrat route here.
If the GOP Governor of blue state NJ can defund Planned Parenthood in his abortion-loving state, then a GOP County Commission Chair in Georgia should be able to display the same level of initiative.
Handel is an absolute disgrace.
Could you tell me about this? I’m still researching who to vote for.
He might find a use for some of them “spitballs”. LOL
He is either too old or Obozo has him sedated like his grandma was.
And I just read her explanation of events. It seems more than reasonable to me and this smacks of gutter politics.
Nathan Deal is even a bigger funder of abortion based upon the criteria laid out.
I agree Momto2, for everyone that has slammed Deal, not one has come up with one concrete reason why. He has voted consistently conservative. Deal was not my first choice, but we could do worse.
Oh really? Care to provide some evidence of that?
We CANNOT have Barnes - that's for sure!!
I am going with Nathan Deal also.
Did Deal vote for any Federal budget since he has been in Congress? If so, he voted to give funding to Planned Parenthood.
Nathan Deal while in Congress was at the forefront on illegals. That is a biggie for me, we in GA have a huge problem with them.
Do you think that Zell Miller would be considered a typical dem? The party has changed, there was a time that a southern democrat was the equivalent to a Northern conservative.
I’m glad to hear that, that was my main concern.
” Democrats have crossed over and become even more conservative as they lived and observed conseqences of liberalism... “
I guess you must support Jim Marshall from South GA. He has botox Nancy’s “permission” to vote more conservatively on non important issues just to keep a democrat in office there.
Deal is guilty of the same “crime.”
Deal, Handel continue to spar over abortion
4:50 pm July 23, 2010, by Aaron Gould Sheinin
Heading into the first weekend of the three-week runoff campaign, Republican gubernatorial hopefuls on Friday continued to spar over abortion rights and funding.
This time it was former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal on the defensive about a vote he made in 1993 that authorized $470 million in grants and contracts for family planning services.
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia_elections_news/2010/07/23/deal-handel-continue-to-spar-over-abortion/
In past races, Karen Handel endorsed taxpayer-funded domestic partner benefits and gay adoption -- and she's been caught lying about it. Just last night, Handel finally admitted she'd written a check to a gay rights group -- when previously she said the check was a forgery and she never lived at that address.
That last sentence "When previously she said the check was a forgery"!!! That kind of lying is inexcusable in my book.
http://www.ontheissues.org/GA/Nathan_Deal_Abortion.htm
Nathan Deal on Abortion
Republican Representative (GA-10)
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. Reference: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act; Bill HR 810 ; vote number 2005-204 on May 24, 2005
Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research.
Reference: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act; Bill HR 810 ; vote number 2005-204 on May 24, 2005
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. Reference: Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act; Bill HR 748 ; vote number 2005-144 on Apr 27, 2005
Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. Reference: Unborn Victims of Violence Act; Bill HR 1997 ; vote number 2004-31 on Feb 26, 2004
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. Reference: Bill sponsored by Santorum, R-PA; Bill S.3 ; vote number 2003-530 on Oct 2, 2003
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. Reference: Human Cloning Prohibition Act; Bill HR 534 ; vote number 2003-39 on Feb 27, 2003
Voted YES on funding for health providers who don’t provide abortion info. Reference: Bill sponsored by Bilirakis, R-FL; Bill HR 4691 ; vote number 2002-412 on Sep 25, 2002
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. Reference: Amendment sponsored by Hyde, R-IL; Bill HR 1646 ; vote number 2001-115 on May 16, 2001
Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. Reference: Bill sponsored by Graham, R-SC; Bill HR 503 ; vote number 2001-89 on Apr 26, 2001
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. Reference: Bill sponsored by Canady, R-FL; Bill HR 3660 ; vote number 2000-104 on Apr 5, 2000
Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. Reference: Bill sponsored by Ros-Lehtinen, R-FL; Bill HR 1218 ; vote number 1999-261 on Jun 30, 1999
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record.
Source: NARAL website 03n-NARAL on Dec 31, 2003
Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance. Source: NRLC website 06n-NRLC on Dec 31, 2006
Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion. Deal co-sponsored prohibiting taking minors across state lines for abortion Source: Child Custody Protection Act (S.2543&H.R.1063) 08-SR2543 on Jan 22, 2008
Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment.
Deal co-sponsored granting the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment
If she flat out lied about that, then I can’t support her. No way.
Nope! I've lived long enough and observed politicians long enough that I do not fall for that "Fake" conservative line. As someone stated above - Ronald Reagan used to be a Democrat.... I'm basing my support of Deal on his decision to leave the Democrat party and his ENTIRE voting record - not a few here and there that are approved by the "Wicked Witch from the West"..... Are you from Ga.? I take it you are a Handel supporter? My best friend (female) is as well based solely on Sarah Palin's endorsement. We just disagree :)
That is irrelevant. If he voted to allow funding to Planned Parenthood he is guilty according to the criteria put forward by GRTL.
Did he vote for the Federal Budget, which provides funding for Planned Parenthood, while in Congress?
I did not personally hear her say that but I'm copying and pasting from the AJC....
As you know (if you are from Ga.) She was playing to a different crowd when she was on Fulton Co. Commission - very liberal... so now, when she is running state-wide - she changes. I would have more respect for her if she just admitted - "Yes - I gave a check to the Gay Right Group..." and explain why/if she has changed her position. Barnes will be all over that as he troops through South Georgia...
We are looking to vote for the most conservative, who can win and who can fight.
Deal may not have a perfect record, but the post above shows he has been fighting for pro-life causes for the past 17 years.
Deal has never supported pro-gay causes.
Deal has been and is a fighter.
Deal even sent a letter to Obama demanding to see his birth certificate.
Deal choose to wait until after the healthcare vote to resign so he could vote against Obamacare.
Deal actually participated in the debates, didn’t bow out because of a personality conflict with one of the debators
Deal, according to his constituents has been tough on illegal immigration (actually has experience, not just vague ideas)
Like I said, Deal is not my first choice, my first choice is actually more conservative than Deal. It is a real shame that we have to settle AT ALL. But since we do, we might as well go with the one who will represent our interests best.
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