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Kansas Governor To Get HHS Nod
By Joe Murray, The Bulletin
Breaking his pledge to seek a cease-fire in America’s culture war, officials close to President Barack Obama report he is set to nominate Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services today. The Kansas governor has a long history of abortion advocacy.
The news Mrs. Sebelius will receive the HHS nomination continues a controversial trend in Mr. Obama’s cabinet picks. Several of Mr. Obama’s selections have abandoned their nominations under questionable circumstances. This includes former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, the man who originally accepted Mr. Obama’s HHS nomination but withdrew his name from consideration when certain tax discrepancies were discovered.
“Obama’s lack of judgment when it comes to cabinet appointments is especially evident in his choice of Sebelius,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization, has a long history of fighting Mrs. Sebelius pro-choice policies in Kansas and has vowed to fight her nomination nationally.
According to the organization’s Web site, Mrs. Sebelius has ties to George Tiller, an infamous abortion doctor known for his willingness to perform late term abortion. Dr. Tiller is currently facing 19 criminal charges in Kansas for performing illegal abortions.
The Operation Rescue website posted photographs of Mrs. Sebelius hob-knobbing with “Tiller the Killer” at the Kansas Governor’s Mansion. The Wichita Eagle, a Kansas newspaper, criticized the governor for hosting the 2007 party.
Mrs. Sebelius, a professed Catholic, also came under fire from her bishop when she vetoed the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act last month, a measure intended to educate women about the development of an unborn child and inform them of abortion alternatives.
In her veto message, the governor argued, “For years, the people of Kansas have asked their elected officials to move beyond legislative debates on issues like abortion and focus their attention on issues that can be solved in the statehouse — stronger schools, affordable health care and economic growth.”
Such a message earned Mrs. Sebelius disfavor from her bishop, Kansas City Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, who publicly asked the governor to refrain from receiving communion.
“The governor’s veto message demonstrated a lack of respect to the members of the Kansas General Assembly who had carefully crafted and resoundingly passed The Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act, as well as to the many Kansans who find it more than embarrassment … that Kansas has become infamous for being the late-term abortion center for the Midwest,” the archbishop wrote.
But some liberal Catholics are defending the governor by pointing to her record on certain social justice issues and argued she is being unjustly targeted by the pro-life community.
“Gov. Sebelius is a proven and tireless advocate for children's health care, education, adoption, and support for pregnant women, all components of a public policy agenda intended to benefit the common good. Under her leadership, the state of Kansas has witnessed sharp declines in both abortions and teen pregnancy,” said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United.
“Because of her success in expanding health care coverage and reducing abortions, we feel that Gov. Sebelius is an excellent choice to lead our nation's Department of Health and Human Services.”
Mr. Korzen contends “right-wing” organizations are opposing Mrs. Sebelius because of her commitment to universal health care and are attempting to compromise her record on life so that a wedge can be driven between the governor and the Catholic community. He points to Mrs. Sebelius’ support of Pregnancy Maintenance Initiatives, as well as her signing of a law providing an adoption tax credit as proof she is not an abortion hardliner.
Furthermore, Mr. Korzen described Mrs. Sebelius as the embodiment of bi-partisanship because of her “ability to lead as a popular Democrat in a very conservative state proves she is the right woman for the job.” Others, however, question the governor’s bipartisanship.
“The governor has blocked legislation that would have stopped late-term abortions, she impeded the investigation into the death of a young woman at Dr. George Tiller’s abortion clinic and Catholic Church officials have told her not to receive communion because of her radical support of abortion,” said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Washington, D.C. based Christian Defense Coalition.
“This nomination paves the way for taxpayer-funded abortions as part of the administration's health care policies.”
Joe Murray can be reached at jmurray@thebulletin.us
The news Mrs. Sebelius will receive the HHS nomination continues a controversial trend in Mr. Obama’s cabinet picks. Several of Mr. Obama’s selections have abandoned their nominations under questionable circumstances. This includes former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, the man who originally accepted Mr. Obama’s HHS nomination but withdrew his name from consideration when certain tax discrepancies were discovered.
“Obama’s lack of judgment when it comes to cabinet appointments is especially evident in his choice of Sebelius,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization, has a long history of fighting Mrs. Sebelius pro-choice policies in Kansas and has vowed to fight her nomination nationally.
According to the organization’s Web site, Mrs. Sebelius has ties to George Tiller, an infamous abortion doctor known for his willingness to perform late term abortion. Dr. Tiller is currently facing 19 criminal charges in Kansas for performing illegal abortions.
The Operation Rescue website posted photographs of Mrs. Sebelius hob-knobbing with “Tiller the Killer” at the Kansas Governor’s Mansion. The Wichita Eagle, a Kansas newspaper, criticized the governor for hosting the 2007 party.
Mrs. Sebelius, a professed Catholic, also came under fire from her bishop when she vetoed the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act last month, a measure intended to educate women about the development of an unborn child and inform them of abortion alternatives.
In her veto message, the governor argued, “For years, the people of Kansas have asked their elected officials to move beyond legislative debates on issues like abortion and focus their attention on issues that can be solved in the statehouse — stronger schools, affordable health care and economic growth.”
Such a message earned Mrs. Sebelius disfavor from her bishop, Kansas City Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, who publicly asked the governor to refrain from receiving communion.
“The governor’s veto message demonstrated a lack of respect to the members of the Kansas General Assembly who had carefully crafted and resoundingly passed The Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act, as well as to the many Kansans who find it more than embarrassment … that Kansas has become infamous for being the late-term abortion center for the Midwest,” the archbishop wrote.
But some liberal Catholics are defending the governor by pointing to her record on certain social justice issues and argued she is being unjustly targeted by the pro-life community.
“Gov. Sebelius is a proven and tireless advocate for children's health care, education, adoption, and support for pregnant women, all components of a public policy agenda intended to benefit the common good. Under her leadership, the state of Kansas has witnessed sharp declines in both abortions and teen pregnancy,” said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United.
“Because of her success in expanding health care coverage and reducing abortions, we feel that Gov. Sebelius is an excellent choice to lead our nation's Department of Health and Human Services.”
Mr. Korzen contends “right-wing” organizations are opposing Mrs. Sebelius because of her commitment to universal health care and are attempting to compromise her record on life so that a wedge can be driven between the governor and the Catholic community. He points to Mrs. Sebelius’ support of Pregnancy Maintenance Initiatives, as well as her signing of a law providing an adoption tax credit as proof she is not an abortion hardliner.
Furthermore, Mr. Korzen described Mrs. Sebelius as the embodiment of bi-partisanship because of her “ability to lead as a popular Democrat in a very conservative state proves she is the right woman for the job.” Others, however, question the governor’s bipartisanship.
“The governor has blocked legislation that would have stopped late-term abortions, she impeded the investigation into the death of a young woman at Dr. George Tiller’s abortion clinic and Catholic Church officials have told her not to receive communion because of her radical support of abortion,” said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Washington, D.C. based Christian Defense Coalition.
“This nomination paves the way for taxpayer-funded abortions as part of the administration's health care policies.”
Joe Murray can be reached at jmurray@thebulletin.us
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