Fred Thompson Lobbied For Abortion Rights?

[Sojourner]

[url="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-thompson20jul20,1,747577.story?ctrack=1&cset=true"]Article here[/url]
[quote]Thompson, a former Tennessee senator, describes himself as "pro-life." But billing records released Thursday confirmed that — contrary to his initial denial — he charged $4,790 for lobbying and legal work he did for the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Assn.[/quote]

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1340634' date='Jul 25 2007, 03:22 PM'][url="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-thompson20jul20,1,747577.story?ctrack=1&cset=true"]Article here[/url][/quote]
Why is this a surprise? Is there anyone out there who thinks that politicians don't lie, cheat, and/or pander to get elected?

[Sojourner]

Oh I'm not surprised, but he's gotten a lot of good press here so figured I'd throw this into the mix.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I had heard this a long time ago and it's been concerning me, but I also read this the other day in an email from LifeNews.com:

"Fred Thompson Supporter Says Story on Abortion Lobbying Result of Poor Communications
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A source close to likely presidential candidate Fred Thompson tells CBN News reporter David Brody that the controversy surrounding legal work he did for a pr-abortion group in 1991 the result of “poor communications.” The unnamed Thompson source told CBN, "The way this has developed has been pretty unfortunate, apparently involving foggy memories from 15+ years ago, and let's face it some poor communications.” The source said Thompson doesn’t recall lobbying or doing any work for the pro-abortion group or helping it lobby the Bush administration to overturn the ban on taxpayer funding of groups that perform or promote abortions abroad. The Thompson friend also said “It appears that Thompson was simply consulted, and asked questions of people he knew in the Bush administration.” Brody says he doesn’t expect the story to hurt Thompson because he has been strongly pro-life since going to the Senate a couple years after the alleged lobbying. However, he thought rival campaigns would try to make light of the lobbying and use it to tarnish Thompson’s image with conservative voters."

Just as FYI.

I'm still voting for Brownback.

[kamiller42]

I care more about what he has been up to recently and where he is going in regards to this issue. Next, you'll be telling me St. Paul persecuted Christians!

[XIX]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1340723' date='Jul 25 2007, 05:30 PM']I'm still voting for Brownback.[/quote]
Yeah me three.

[tojo]

[quote name='XIX' post='1340784' date='Jul 25 2007, 08:03 PM']Yeah me three.[/quote]


Me four, most likely, this definately seems like the year to vote for non-front runner candidates.

[XIX]

I think he will creep back to the center after the primaries. That will most likely mean that he'll favor abortion in some capacity. I hope to God that I'm wrong.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1340723' date='Jul 25 2007, 05:30 PM']I had heard this a long time ago and it's been concerning me, but I also read this the other day in an email from LifeNews.com:

"Fred Thompson Supporter Says Story on Abortion Lobbying Result of Poor Communications
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A source close to likely presidential candidate Fred Thompson tells CBN News reporter David Brody that the controversy surrounding legal work he did for a pr-abortion group in 1991 the result of “poor communications.” The unnamed Thompson source told CBN, "The way this has developed has been pretty unfortunate, apparently involving foggy memories from 15+ years ago, and let's face it some poor communications.” The source said Thompson doesn’t recall lobbying or doing any work for the pro-abortion group or helping it lobby the Bush administration to overturn the ban on taxpayer funding of groups that perform or promote abortions abroad. The Thompson friend also said “It appears that Thompson was simply consulted, and asked questions of people he knew in the Bush administration.” Brody says he doesn’t expect the story to hurt Thompson because he has been strongly pro-life since going to the Senate a couple years after the alleged lobbying. However, he thought rival campaigns would try to make light of the lobbying and use it to tarnish Thompson’s image with conservative voters."

Just as FYI.

I'm still voting for Brownback.[/quote]
yeah ... I think this is the initial denial.

That much in legal fees (nearly $5K) means he actually did some work for them.

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1340723' date='Jul 25 2007, 06:30 PM']The unnamed Thompson source told CBN,[/quote]

Ah, yes, the ever-famous "unnamed source".

Why don't we just wait to let Fred speak for himself on this? How he responds will reveal much about his character.

[Lounge Daddy]

It will be interesting to see how the story plays out.

I was just reading some [url="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/07/fred-thompson.html"]LA Times story[/url] notes about it and it seems that Planned Parenthood is pushing it

[quote]A Thompson spokesman flatly denies he did the lobbying work. But according to a story by Times correspondent Michael Finnegan, records for the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Assn. show the group hired Thompson in 1991. His job was to urge the Bush administration to withdraw or relax a rule barring abortion counseling at clinics receiving federal money.

Judith DeSarno, president of the family planning group in 1991, says Thompson lobbied for her group for several months . . . [b]DeSarno recalls Thompson reporting he had multiple conversations about the abortion rule with John Sununu, then White House chief of staff. Sununu told Finnegan, "I don't think that ever happened. In fact, I know that never happened."[/b][/quote]

Edited July 26, 2007 by Lounge Daddy

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' post='1341286' date='Jul 26 2007, 08:56 AM']It will be interesting to see how the story plays out.

I was just reading some [url="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/07/fred-thompson.html"]LA Times story[/url] notes about it and it seems that Planned Parenthood is pushing it (maybe gleefully?)[/quote]
interesting yes ... so we have the billing statement coupled with these denials ... unfortunately it was years ago so people's memories are probably a bit shaky.

[Lounge Daddy]

Something else I find interesting....

While both Rudy and Fred have different personal views on abortion - one claims pro-life and the other pro-choice, both actually seem to have identical views on abortion laws.

Both Giuliani and Thompson believe that Roe v Wade is wrong - because legislation is the jurisdiction of Congress not the court.

Both Giuliani and Thompson would like to see the Supreme Court send it back to Congress.

Both Giuliani and Thompson have stated that they believe that Congress ought to pass a law leaving the matter of abortion up to the individual states - and both have suggested that they would sign such a law.

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1340723' date='Jul 25 2007, 07:30 PM']I'm still voting for Brownback.[/quote]
yeah, good luck with that. He's nice but his candidacy is a pipe dream...your only hope is to vote in the primaries if your state matters.

Me, I'm in Virginia, and by the time it gets to us most of the smaller profile candidates (Brownback included) will have folded as the big guys gather steam. At best Thompson chooses him for Veep, which I could groove on.

Not like I'm psychic or anything though.

[XIX]

Well this year looks like a good time to vote for someone who (probably) doesn't have a chance at winning.