Pro-Life Wisconsin Director Attends Celebration of Physician's Murder
Women’s health advocacy group asks Van Hollen, legislative leaders to return campaign contributions from Pro-Life Wisconsin’s PAC
Milwaukee, WI – Last week, in gruesome irony, “pro-life” activists held an event in Milwaukee celebrating the murder of Dr. John Britton and his bodyguard, James Barrett, by anti-abortion stalker Paul Hill.
According to media reports, the “highlight” of the event was “the re-enactment of Hill’s murders,” culminating in a chorus of “Hallelujah” after the man playing Hill pulled his shotgun’s trigger. (“Appalling Pro-Life Event Condemned,” by Lisa Kaiser, Shepherd Express, August 9, 2007, available at http://tinyurl.com/365grd.)
While Wisconsin Right to Life condemned the event, Pro-Life Wisconsin executive director Peggy Hamill attended the event with her husband, and even brought the official Pro-Life Wisconsin van to be parked prominently near the proceedings.
Pro-Life Wisconsin is an ironically named interest group opposed not only to abortion, but to all forms of birth control. They contributed $500 to the campaign of Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and endorsed Republican leaders in both the State Senate and Assembly. (The full list of endorsed elected officials and campaign contributions they received from Pro-Life Wisconsin’s PAC in the last election cycle is below.)
Today, NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin sent a letter to each state elected official endorsed by Pro-Life Wisconsin, asking them to immediately return any campaign contributions they may have received, publicly denounce Pro-Life Wisconsin, and refuse to accept further money or endorsements from Pro-Life Wisconsin until the group denounces violence and criminal acts.
“It is unconscionable that any elected official would take money and endorsements from a group that even tacitly accepts murder as a political tactic,” said Kelda Helen Roys, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. “It is great that we as Americans are free to disagree about whether abortion should be safe and legal, and can get involved in the political process – but we should never turn to violence or criminal actions to solve our political differences.”
Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund
2006 Endorsed Candidates & Contributions
Statewide Elected Officials
J.B. Van Hollen (R) Attorney General $500
State Senate
Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) Senate Minority Leader, SD13
Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan) Asst. Minority Leader, SD9
Alan Lasee (R-DePere) SD1
Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn) SD11
State Assembly
Mark Gottlieb (R-Pt.Washington)Speaker Pro Tempore, AD60
Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) Assembly Leader, AD39 $50
Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) AD14
Bob Ziegelbauer (D-Manitowoc)AD25
Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) AD27
Tom Lothian (R-Williams Bay) AD32
Scott Newcomer (R-Hartland) AD33 $100
Carol Owens (R-Oshkosh) AD53
Jeff Mursau (R-Crivitz) AD36
Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) AD38
Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) AD86
Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) AD40 $100
Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) AD41
J.A. Hines (R-Oxford) AD42
Eugene Hahn (R-Cambria AD47
Sheryl Albers (R-Reedsburg) AD50
Roger Roth (R-Appleton) AD56 $100
Dan LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) AD59 $200
Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) AD69
Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin) AD84
Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay) AD90
Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) AD97 $25
Rich Zipperer (R-Pewaukee) AD98 $100
Don Pridemore (R-Hartford) AD99
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin has sent a letter and a copy of the above-referenced news article to each of these elected officials, requesting that they return any campaign contributions, refuse future endorsements or contributions, and denounce Pro-Life Wisconsin.
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