Nelson Puts Politics Over Principle, Fails to Promote a Culture of Life

Nelson Puts Politics Over Principle, Fails to Promote a Culture of Life

Omaha, NE - The Child Custody Protection Act (S. 403) died before Congress adjourned to campaign for re-election when Senate Democrats voted overwhelmingly to block it. The bill would have criminalized transporting minors across state lines to avoid state parental notification laws to get an abortion.

"The Senate's failure to muster the 60 votes necessary to pass this bill to protect our children is due to Ben Nelson's lack of leadership within his party. The Senate Democrat leadership has been obstructing the progress of this legislation for months, despite the fact that it initially passed the Senate in July by a vote of 65-34. Hours before adjourning, the Senate voted on the final version of the bill agreed to by a House-Senate Conference Committee, and eight Senate Democrats flipped their vote to kill the Child Custody Protection Act by a vote of 57- 42. Only three additional votes were needed to break the procedural roadblock set by Senate Democrats, and those three votes could have come from Senators to whom Nelson had donated." Ricketts said.

"Not only was Nelson unable to convince his Democrat Leaders to allow the bill to pass on a simple majority, he demonstrated his lack of influence even over those to whom his Political Action Committee (NELPAC) has given thousands of dollars. Three beneficiaries of Nelson's financial largesse flip flopped on this bill. They were Tom Carper (DE), Bill Nelson (FL), and Kent Conrad (ND), to whom Nelson's PAC gave a total of $20,000.

"Nelson's party affiliation trumps principle, and he has put the interests of his party before the values of Nebraskans. Despite Nelson's endorsements and claims to be pro-life, his record tells a different story. Ben Nelson's PAC gave over $111,000 to pro-choice candidates since its creation. After pledging in a survey for Nebraskans United for Life to support pro-life candidates, Ben Nelson reneged on this pledge and gave $12,500 to pro-choice, Democrat candidate Maxine Moul who received the Emily's List endorsement and is running against pro-life, Republican Congressman Jeff Fortenberry.

"If Nelson is serious about working to build a pro-life culture, why does he continue to fund and befriend those who radically oppose it?"

http://www.petericketts.com/full_press.asp?press_id=88