Monday July 9, 2007
Abortion Advocates Accuse Fred Thompson of Lobbying for Abortion
"Significantly problematic that every person the Times quotes would appear to have incentive to take down Thompson"
By Peter J. Smith
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 9, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Fred Thompson, who recently shot to the top of the list of Republican presidential candidates despite not having officially announced that he was running, has been pulled into the center of a media storm about allegations that he lobbied for an abortion group sixteen years ago.
Los Angeles Times reported July 7 that Thompson was hired as a lobbyist by the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) for a few months in 1991. In his capacity as lobbyist Thompson allegedly worked to have the George H.W. Bush Administration reverse a policy barring federal aid for health clinics that promote abortion.
"I'd just say the flies get bigger in the summertime. I guess the flies are buzzing," quipped Thompson about the allegations, which have been used to call into question the truth of Thompson's repeated statements about his pro-life stance.
The LA Times obtained the NFPRHA minutes from the board's meeting of Sept. 14, 1991 from past president Judith DeSarno, who claimed that Thompson represented her organization while he was with the Washington firm of Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn. The minutes state: "Judy [DeSarno] reported that the association had hired Fred Thompson Esq. as counsel to aid us in discussions with the administration."
Initially Thompson media spokesman Mark Corallo denied that Thompson did any work for NFPRHA, but later told the Times that Thompson may have offered assistance to another lawyer working in the firm, saying it was "not unusual for one lawyer on one side of an issue to be asked to give advice to colleagues for clients who engage in conduct or activities with which they personally disagree."
However, Corallo repeated that Thompson had no recollection of ever personally lobbying for NFPRHA or meeting with White House official John H. Sununu as DeSarno claimed, and, more importantly, said hard evidence is lacking.
"There's no documents to prove it, there's no billing records, and Thompson says he has no recollection of it, says it didn't happen," Corallo said. Sununu also confirmed to the Times that he could not ever remember meeting with Thompson to discuss abortion 16 years ago.
According to conservative analysts at the National Review, Thompson's abortion past should not be a liability, but failing to admit openly a pro-abortion past could hurt him more.
"There's no question that Thompson has moved on abortion," stated NR's Ramesh Ponnuru on the Corner. "[H]e wasn't pro-life at the start of his political career - and he is doing himself no favors by failing to acknowledge it."
Nevertheless, Ponnuru also points out that the current allegations appear to hold very little water upon close examination. "It's significantly problematic that every person the Times quotes would appear to have incentive to take down Thompson, as he was a pro-life senator and all of these folks are not merely pro-choice, but professional lobbyists in support of that view," noted NR's Jim Geraghty. "If one Republican or pro-life, or pro-Fred source had been quoted on the record, 'Yes, Fred did this work and it was significant' then the charge would carry a lot more weight."
Although Thompson embraced some pro-abortion positions in his 1994 Senate race, such as favoring legal abortion in the first trimester, he earned a 100% rating on abortion from the National Right to Life until his retirement in 2003. Later Thompson would say that watching the sonogram of his now 3 year-old daughter firmly anchored his pro-life convictions.
Media sources have commented that such revelations could hurt Thompson among pro-life advocates and other social conservatives. However some conservatives are already responding to a somewhat vague report about Thompson's activities of 16 years ago as an orchestrated effort to sabotage Thompson, who so far seems the only candidate able to prevent leading pro-abortion Republican Rudy Giuliani from winning the nomination. Political analysts have judged that a pro-abortion Republican nominee would marginalize the pro-life movement's political clout within the party, especially so if Giuliani won the election in 2008.
In the latest Rasmussen poll Thompson led Giuliani 27% - 24%. Thompson spoke over the weekend to 350 people at the Young Republican National Convention in Hollywood, Florida. He was greeted with wild applause when he mentioned he was the top target of the New York Times and the leading Democratic contender Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:
Second poll Finds that Thompson Still Holds Lead Over Giuliani
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07070510.html
Pro-life Candidate Thompson Now Leads Republican Nomination
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jun/07062003.html
Fred Thompson Declares Pro-life Stance Before National Right to Life Committee
NewsMax report questions Thompson's pro-life convictions
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jun/07061903.html
Pro-life Senator Fred Thompson to Add "Law and Order" to Republican Presidential Candidate Race
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/may/07053109.html
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