Mitt Romney Watch: Romney’s Wife Ann Has Donated to Planned Parenthood

Republican presidential hopeful and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (L) and his wife Ann greet supporters before the annual Republican Party of Iowa’s Abraham Lincoln Unity Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa April 14, 2007.

ABC News: EXCLUSIVE: Romney Wife Donated to Planned Parenthood

Pro-Life Republican Accused of Shifting Views on Abortion

Former governor Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, gave a $150 donation to the abortion-rights group Planned Parenthood in 1994, at a time that Romney considered himself to be effectively “pro-choice,” the Romney campaign confirmed today.

Campaign spokesman Kevin Madden said Mrs. Romney has no recollection of the circumstances under which she donated the money. He said an internal review of Romney’s personal records have not turned up any instances where Romney, R-Mass., himself sent money to groups that support expanded abortion rights.

“The governor has not donated to Planned Parenthood or abortion-rights groups,” Madden said.

Madden said he did not know whether the former governor was aware of the donation, but he noted that Romney was publicly committed to upholding a woman’s right to an abortion until late 2004.

“This is an issue that the governor has changed his position on, that the governor was wrong on in the past and believes he is right on now,” he said.

The issue of past donations to abortion-rights groups has exploded in the Republican presidential campaign in the past few days, with the revelation that former mayor Rudolph Giuliani, R-N.Y., gave six separate donations to Planned Parenthood during the 1990s.

And so?

It isn’t like Planned Parenthood is al Qaeda.

Rudy has been taking a beating from the pro-life folks since last weeks GOP debate. Maybe it is time for them to give it a rest.

Mayor Giuliani is pro-choice and his views and record are very clear. They are mainstream personal views/feelings – which, by the way, are held by a majority of American voters.

Respect Rudy’s opinion, disagree if you must and move on……

Now, leave Mrs. Romney alone.

Update:

DaveG over at Race 4 2008 has some questions for Mitt:

As such, it’s time for Gov. Romney to come clean on this issue to pro-life voters. Personally, I would like answers to the following questions:

1) Gov. Romney, when did you learn of your wife’s de facto participation in extinguishing young life?

2) Do you now or did you ever approve of or sanction this donation?

3) Was there any conflict in the Romney household over this event upon your aptly-timed “conversion” to the pro-life side of the fence? Granted, such conflict would likely have resulted in the governor sleeping on the couch for a few nights, but given Mitt’s strong respect for abstinence, I’m sure he could’ve taken it.

Gov. Romney, these are questions that demand answers. I await your reply. And I await the discovery of whether or not the same folks who were trashing Mayor Giuliani over his own donations to Planned Parenthood the other night turn out to be hypocrites of the highest order.

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