Former Vice President Mike Pence’s organization, Advancing American Freedom, is urging senators to vote against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary, The Daily Wire reports.
The organization opposes the former presidential candidate for the position due to his abortion stance.
EXCLUSIVE: Mike Pence Org @AmericanFreedom Urges Senators To Oppose RFK Jr. Confirmation | @realDailyWire https://t.co/Tj32adU045
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) January 15, 2025
The Daily Wire reports:
In a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire, Advancing American Freedom lays out five detailed questions for Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). It points out that Kennedy formerly said that a woman should have the right to abort her unborn baby, and the government shouldn’t be involved, “even if [the baby] is full term.” Such a position is “completely out of step with the strong, pro-life record of the first Trump Administration,” wrote AAF President Tim Chapman and Chairman of the Board Marc Short.
“While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time,” they continued. “There are hundreds of decisions made every day at HHS that either lead our nation toward a respect for life or away from it—decisions about federal funding for Planned Parenthood, regulations on the abortion pill (currently accounting for three out of every five abortions), insurance coverage of abortion, and more.”
A number of pro-life leaders and lawmakers who spoke with The Daily Wire before Christmas had also expressed concerns about Kennedy’s record on abortion, but Kennedy allayed many of their fears when he spoke with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri on December 17. Hawley shared that Kennedy promised to reinstate Trump’s pro-life policies at HHS, including reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which blocks federal funds from going to NGOs that promote abortion; ending taxpayer funding for abortions domestically; and reinstating the bar on Title X funds going to organizations that promote abortion.
Kennedy also reportedly promised Hawley that “all of his deputies at HHS would be pro-life” and that he would “reinstate conscience protections for healthcare providers”— two major points of concern for pro-lifers who spoke with The Daily Wire.
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Mike Pence is urging senators to oppose RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary because he supports abortion.
RFK has assured senators he will implement Trump’s pro-life policies.
Should RFK Jr. be confirmed?
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) January 15, 2025
Mike Pence-founded group urges senators to vote against RFK Jr. https://t.co/5e24cjusoo
— The Hill (@thehill) January 15, 2025
“Whatever the merits of RFK Jr’s Make America Healthy Again initiative—indeed, whatever other qualities a nominee might possess—an HHS Secretary must have a firm commitment to protect unborn children, or else bend under the pressure and pushback surrounding these daily, critical decisions,” the letter continued, according to The Daily Wire.
“We strongly encourage you to reject the nomination of any pro-abortion nominees to serve at HHS. RFK Jr., as well as any other nominated HHS Secretary, must be able to provide satisfactory answers to the list of important pro-life questions attached to this letter. The pro-life movement has a strong bench of courageous pro-life leaders who are willing to serve the American people as the head of HHS,” it added.
BREAKING: Mike Pence’s organization officially opposes RFK Jr.’s confirmation as Trump’s HHS secretary.
What is your response? pic.twitter.com/S1WiPWWsk1
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 15, 2025
From The Hill:
This is the second formal attempt from Pence and his organization to derail Kennedy’s confirmation. Shortly after Trump announced Kennedy’s nomination, Pence in a statement urged senators to reject him because of his previous support for abortion.
Kennedy, who initially launched his presidential campaign as a Democrat, endorsed a ban on abortion after the first trimester but then quickly backtracked. He also suggested he opposed banning abortion before fetal viability, generally around 24 weeks into a pregnancy.
On his campaign website, Kennedy said he is “a firm supporter of the principles laid out 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade” and that “if the courts do not overturn Dobbs v. Jackson and restore abortion rights, he will support legislation to accomplish the same.”
But his past statements don’t seem to worry GOP senators, most of whom have enthusiastically endorsed Kennedy after meeting with him.
ADVERTISEMENTKennedy has been trying to reassure Republicans by saying his personal views don’t matter, and he will implement all of the anti-abortion policies from the first Trump administration.
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