Contact: Matt Sande, Director of Legislative Affairs, (262) 352-0890
Peggy Hamill, State Director, (262) 796-1111 or (414) 416-0489

Pro-Life Wisconsinites Hold Congressman Obey Accountable

Recent news stories have highlighted the presumed conflict between faith and politics among some Wisconsin lawmakers. Part of Pro-Life Wisconsin’s (PLW) work involves holding state elected officials accountable for their actions in public office. Often legislators claim to be members in good standing of a particular faith, but in practice counter the precepts of that faith in the political stances they take. One such legislator is Wisconsin Congressman David Obey.

“People are scandalized by Congressman Obey’s pro-abortion voting record,” stated Peggy Hamill, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin. “They are doubly scandalized that he is publicly flouting the tenets of the very faith that he professes.”

For the past month, PLW has assisted Obey’s constituents in taking him to task for supporting abortion while claiming to be a Roman Catholic – a faith that fully condemns abortion. The letter-writing campaign initiated by PLW has been embraced by people of many different faiths and walks of life, including several area pastors.

Citing several pro-abortion votes that he has cast since 2000, Linda Thompson of Mosinee stated the following in a letter to Congressman Obey: “The moral teaching of your church proclaims the dignity of human life from conception until natural death…Your record shows that you do not merely recognize abortion as the current law, but that you seek to extend this ‘right’ and provide funding for it… I do not understand how, as a Roman Catholic, you can support the policies you do in conscience.” Thompson and other residents of the 7th Congressional District are respectfully asking Obey to consider his obligation to protect those most in need, especially the preborn.

“On the campaign trail, pro-abortion legislators often wear their faith on their sleeves, attending church picnics and slapping their parish affiliation on their campaign flyers,” said Matt Sande, PLW’s director of legislative affairs. “But on the floor of Congress, they tuck their faith neatly into their back pockets.”

Obey’s recent pro-abortion votes include: 1) voting against an amendment to prevent doctors from receiving payments from HMOs for abortion services (H.R.1304, 6/30/00); 2) voting against an amendment to prohibit the FDA from approving any drug intended solely for the chemical inducement of abortion (H.R. 4461, 7/10/00); and 3) voting against protecting the “Mexico City Policy,” which restricts overseas funding of abortion (H.R. 1646, 5/16/01).

“When politicians defend abortion, they are dismissing the most basic right of an entire group of their constituents – the right to life of the preborn in their district,” added Hamill. “We pray that Congressman Obey has a change of heart. After all, this is not about embarrassing him; it’s about opening his heart and mind to the Gospel of Life.”
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