Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 04:10:52 PM EDT
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Mother Jones checks in with how Chris Smith spent his Spring Break:
Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, had other plans: He spent part of the break on a taxpayer-funded trip to Kenya, where he slammed the country's new constitution for allowing abortions in cases when the health of the mother is at risk.
Kenyan abortion restrictions go far beyond those in American law, and Kenya's new constitution, approved overwhelmingly last August, codifies a ban on abortions in the country. But that's not enough for Smith and US anti-abortion groups, who argue that the exception allowing for legal abortions to preserve the health of the mother "opens the door to abortion on demand."
Smith wasn't just meeting with Kenyan politicians and activists during his time in East Africa-he was actively politicking.... more below... |
| Hopeful :: Chris Smith charges taxpayers for his abortion crusade... in Africa! |
Now, you've probably noticed in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and the Ivory Coast that we should be happy when a disputed election ends with peaceful adoption of a new, reformed Constitution. But for a zealot like Smith, averting civil war is unimportant. So too is hypocrisy. You see, as the article points out, Smith is on record claiming that using taxpayer money to advocate for or against the Kenyan Constitution is illegal since abortion is mentioned:But Smith and his allies still argued that the ambassador might have violated the Siljander Amendment-a provision that bars the use of foreign assistance funds to lobby for or against abortion. "[A]ny expression of support for or opposition to the proposed new constitution...unavoidably involves lobbying for or against abortion," the lawmakers wrote.
Anyone surprised that there is one set of rules for Chris Smith, and another for everyone else? Smith can say whatever likes, but he needs to reimburse taxpayers for his trip. |
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