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BUFFALO, New York, February 20, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pro-life critics are taking aim at New York State Sen. Timothy Kennedy after the Catholic Democrat announced he was renouncing his pro-life views.

Kennedy told Buffalo News on Sunday that his views had “evolved” and he would now support New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s effort to expand of abortion “rights” in the state.

“I believe at the end of the day that a woman has to be able to make a decision upon her health, her life and her family that is in her best interests and their best interests,” he said. “Oftentimes, the situation that presents itself involves dire circumstances.”

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New Yorkers for Life accused Kennedy of flip-flopping to fill the coffers for his re-election campaign.

“It looks like Senator ‘Ka-ching’ Kennedy is about to start cashing in,” they said. “Forgive us for thinking that the senator's departure from previously held pro-life values is about anything other than he is in a tough Democratic primary and looking to pocket a little extra campaign cash.”

“It’s easy to see why Kennedy may have been tempted to modify his stance,” said Rachel Peller, a member of the Green Party and self-described socialist: “he’s likely to make substantial financial gains from this move.”

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Ms. Peller had assumed that “conservatives are the wealthy ones who hold control over the political system.” Her research into the matter surprised her.

“Candidates with a pro-choice position stand to benefit financially from their stance, which may account largely for Kennedy’s decision.”

“In the last election cycle, pro-choice political action committees spent four times more than pro-life PACs. Super power EMILY’s List spends a whopping $10 million through its 527 alone and works with an annual income of more than $50 million, a staggering seven times greater than its pro-life counterpart, the Susan B. Anthony List,” she said.

Democrats for Life also criticized the senator. “Being a pro-life Democrat is difficult, but sacrificing your principles because you fear a primary is shameful,” they said.

“Next year Kennedy faces an abortion rights primary opponent,” they noted, pointing out that party leaders “said they would help raise funds for his primary opponent.”

“Senator Kennedy's flip flop reminds us of our duty to support our pro-life Democratic elected officials. … The abortion money talks and the silence by closeted pro-life democrats hurts.”

Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, the Catholic state senator’s own bishop, also strongly criticized Kennedy. “For anyone to say that he or she is a faithful Catholic and to be pro-abortion/pro-choice rights is totally inconsistent with Catholic teaching,” said Malone.