GOP Questions Gordon Abortion Vote Congressman Misstates Shifting Position on Taxpayer Funding
Posted: 2009-08-14 by Lou Ann Zelenik
Congressman Bart Gordon originally voted for the Stupak-Pitts amendment, and then changed his vote to allow for public funding of abortions. Chairman Zelenik questioned if his change of heart was due to pressure from committee Chairman Henry Waxman of California.
MURFREESBORO, TN - Rutherford County GOP Chairman Lou Ann Zelenik responded today to Congressman Bart Gordon's August 9 statement in the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal when he misleadingly said "I have always supported a ban on the use of federal funds to pay for an abortion, and I still do".
On July 30, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on which Mr. Gordon serves, initially approved the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to the Health Care reform bill by a vote of 31-27. The amendment would have prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for an abortion unless the life of the mother was at stake. It is long-standing policy of the federal government to prohibit such funding due to the moral objections of many Americans. Two hours later, the liberal chairman of the committee called another vote and Bart Gordon changed his position with the explanation that he "misunderstood" the amendment.
According the newspaper, The Hill, Congressman Bart Gordon originally voted for the Stupak-Pitts amendment, and then changed his vote to allow for public funding of abortions. Chairman Zelenik questioned if his change of heart was due to pressure from committee Chairman Henry Waxman of California. On the second vote the amendment was defeated by a tally of 30-29.
"This is a clear and disturbing example of why Americans have lost faith in the ability of Congress to honestly deal with the health care issue," Zelenik said. "In Tennessee we are particularly disappointed that Bart Gordon cannot vote for the values he runs for reelection on. He cannot stand up to Nancy Pelosi and the liberal leadership in Congress, even when it means he must turn his back on the people of the Sixth District."
Under pressure from the media and the public, Congressman Gordon this week relented on his original plan to only hold "telephone town halls" with the voters instead of facing the people he represents. Zelenik stated, "The voters told Bart Gordon his refusal to meet face to face was unacceptable. We look forward to hearing his reason for changing his vote on this critical issue. Tennesseans deserve honest answers."
