Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has drawn the ire of fellow Republicans and the pro-life base of his party by betraying his promise and signing into law a measure that will expand taxpayer-funded abortions in his state.
Though Rauner indicated for months the abortion provision was “divisive” and said he would not support it, ultimately he admitted he has been a longstanding supporter of abortion, stating that the legislation was “consistent with [his] values,” says the Chicago Tribune.
“I personally am pro-choice. I always have been,” Rauner said. “I have not and never will change my views.”
“I also believe that no woman should be forced to make a different decision than another woman would make purely based on her income,” he added. “I believe that a woman living with limited financial means should not be put in the position where she has to choose something different than a woman of higher income would be able to choose.”
Scandal-ridden abortion industry giant Planned Parenthood tweeted its support for Rauner:
Among those who said Rauner betrayed Illinois citizens was Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago, who observed the governor “did break his word.”
Despite significant budgetary difficulties in the state, the new law will allow Illinois taxpayer funds to be used to pay for the elective abortions of women on Medicaid and state employee insurance. Previously, taxpayer funds could only be used for abortions in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother’s life was in danger:
Additionally, the law reportedly would prevent abortion from becoming illegal in Illinois should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.
House Republican floor leader, Rep. Peter Breen, said in a statement that he has had the opportunity to have “a front row seat” in observing Rauner’s performance as governor:
I’ve seen him rapidly hire and terminate numerous staff members, highly competent professionals who were proven successful in their prior roles. Inexplicably, they appeared incompetent while working for Rauner.
I personally observed him badly botch negotiations with the General Assembly on a variety of subjects, finally getting to the point where Governor Rauner couldn’t even be in the same room as House Speaker Mike Madigan. Madigan is the one guy who Rauner promised to stand up to, but he can’t or won’t even enter the arena for that fight.
I’ve heard Rauner promise the people of Illinois that he had “no social agenda” and as such firmly commit to legislators, the public, and even to Chicago’s Cardinal, Blase Cupich, that he would veto taxpayer funding of abortions. But he has now broken that commitment, signing a bill that puts taxpayers on the hook to pay for an expected 20,000-30,000 aborted lives per year. And without any source of funding, in the throes of an unbalanced budget. Now, I’ve come to expect politicians to shade the truth, but what’s clear today is that Rauner’s promises were just flat out lies.
Breen said, consequently, he can no longer support Rauner.
“And whether or not they are able to agree publicly, I know hundreds of elected Republicans, along with hundreds of thousands of Republican voters, who feel the same way I do,” he added.
In 2014, Rauner indicated in a questionnaire for Personal PAC – an abortion rights advocacy organization – that he “would support a legislative effort to reverse” the “Illinois law that restricts abortion coverage under the state Medicaid plan and state employees’ health insurance because … it unfairly restricts access based on income.”
In April, as Breitbart News reported, Rauner and his wife Diana donated $50,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois during a fundraiser in Chicago.
“We are really thrilled to have the support of Diana and Bruce Rauner,” Katie Thiede, vice president of development at Planned Parenthood of Illinois, said, according to WBEZ. “I know that they are excited about sponsoring the event this year.”
Illinois Right to Life predicts the state will see at least an additional 12,000 abortions per year as a result of the legislation:
Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins said that, in breaking his promise to the citizens of his state, Rauner has effectively provided “a new income stream for the abortion lobby.”
“Unfortunately, Governor Rauner gave into the pressure of the abortion industry, which has moved from choice to coercion, forcing people to not only support their extreme abortion agenda, but also to pay for it,” Hawkins explained. “The people of Illinois need to hold their office holders accountable for taking scarce tax monies and creating a new category of taxpayer-funded abortion.”