Watch this video before reading further:
Ann & Mitt on preserving & protecting abortion "rights" (2002)
Mitt Romney gave a $15,000 donation to Mass. Citizens for Life (MCFL) and $10,000 to Mass. Family Institute (MFI) this past December. Prior to that, he basically didn't give any pro-life or pro-family organization in Massachusetts any support. Now suddenly, he and his wife Ann are guests of honor at MCFL events! On April 13, Ann Romney was the "special guest" at the MCFL statewide fundraiser. On May 10, Mitt Romney will both speak and receive a "political leadership award" at the Pioneer Valley (Western Mass. chapter) MCFL dinner.
From the New York Times:
The recipients of Mr. Romney’s donations said the money had no influence on them. But some of the groups, notably Citizens for Life and the Family Institute, have turned supportive of Mr. Romney after criticizing him in the past. Coming on the eve of his presidential campaign, Mr. Romney’s contributions could create the appearance of a conflict of interest for groups often asked to evaluate him. All the groups said he had never contributed before, and his foundation’s public tax filings show no previous gifts to similar groups.
The Springfield Republican reported:
Melissa R. Kogut, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, said she was "a little surprised" Romney is being honored [by MCFL], given his shifted positions on abortion. "Mitt Romney hasn't been clear what he really stands for," she said.
And Mass. Family Institute is apparently upset by our reporting on Romney's failure to uphold the Constitution in implementing homosexual marriage, and his assorted flip-flops, to say nothing of his extension of taxpayer-funded abortions in his Mass. health insurance plan. So now MFI is calling us"right-wing conservatives" -- apparently a bad thing! Does that make MFI "left-wing conservatives"? Or "moderate conservatives"? Or "let-the-people-vote" conservatives" or "Romney conservatives" or "flip-flop conservatives"? Or is it the word "conservative" we should delete from their description? From MFI's email alert:
Event: Romney to speak at pro-life banquet
Former Governor Mitt Romney is scheduled to be the main speaker at the annual dinner of the Pioneer Valley Region of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. The dinner, set to take place on May 10, is expected to attract around 800 people. In addition to addressing the crowd, Gov. Romney will also be the recipient of the group's "political leadership award" for his pro-life work as governor.
The chairman of the dinner, Holyoke City Councilor Kevin Jourdain, told the Springfield Republican newspaper that Romney's position on abortion evolved after he became governor. "He served as a pro-life governor," Jourdain said. "Where he stands now is most important."
Romney has come under fire by some right-wing conservatives for saying as a candidate for governor in 2002 that he was personally against abortion but that he supported the court decision that legalized abortion....
