Mike Pence’s organization comes out swinging against RFK Jr. — because of abortion

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The letter notes that Kennedy has previously said that a woman should have the right to an abortion “even if is full term.” That position is “completely out of step with the strong, pro-life record of the first Trump Administration,” AAF President Tim Chapman and Chairman of the Board Marc Short wrote in the letter. The former VP has argued that Republican senators should vote against Robert F Kennedy Jr. Trump’s pick for HHS secretary “While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time,” they added, according to The Daily Wire. “There are hundreds of decisions made every day at HHS that either lead our nation toward a respect for life or away from it—decisions about federal funding for Planned Parenthood, regulations on the abortion pill, insurance coverage of abortion, and more.” Some pro-life Republicans have been concerned about Kennedy’s abortion views, but Kennedy calmed the waters as he spoke to Missouri Senator Josh Hawley on December 17, according to the conservative outlet. open image in gallery Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will likely face a grilling from both Democratic and Republican senators But AAF is still not satisfied, writing in their letter that “Whatever the merits of RFK Jr’s Make America Healthy Again initiative—indeed, whatever other qualities a nominee might possess—an HHS Secretary must have a firm commitment to protect unborn children, or else bend under the pressure and pushback surrounding these daily, critical decisions.” The organization added that it “strongly” encourages senators “to reject the nomination of any pro-abortion nominees to serve at HHS.” They went on to argue that Kennedy “must be able to provide satisfactory answers to the list of important pro-life questions” including “When do you believe that life should be protected?” The organization said that Kennedy must also say at what level of development he thinks babies should receive protections from the government and whether there are any circumstances under which he think babies should not be protected.