Adding more fuel to the fire, President Obama’s health secretary nominee Kathleen Sebelius received nearly three times as much money from an abortion doctor than she disclosed, according to the Associated Press.
Sebelius has already angered conservatives for her pro abortion stances. She told the Senate Finance Committee that she took money from from George Tiller, a late-term abortion provider, who was acquitted last month of charges that he performed 19 illegal late-term abortions in 2003.
She told the committee that she received $12,450 between 1994 and 2001 from Tiller. But Erica Werner at the AP reports that Tiller gave at least $23,000 more from 2000 to 2002 to a political action committee while Sebelius was state insurance commissioner so she could raise money for Democrats.
The Finance Committee was expected to vote this month on forwarding Sebelius’ nomination to the full Senate. There was no immediate indication from committee Republicans that her omission on the Tiller contributions would upset that timing.
The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, which is opposing Sebelius’ nomination, circulated the campaign finance documents showing the discrepancy in what Sebelius told senators. The records were reviewed Monday by the AP and their accuracy was verified by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.
Senators raised the issue of abortion only in written questions submitted to Sebelius after her hearing. Last week, Sebelius told the Senate that she does not anticipate issuing new abortion regulations if she is approved.
“I am personally opposed to abortion, and my faith teaches me that all life is sacred,” she said. “I have tried to reduce unwanted pregnancies and thus curtail the need for abortion.”
(h/t Mark Hemingway)
