Democrats for Life Give Boot to Ohio Congressman

(Hat tip: PewSitter.com)

The pro-life group Democrats for Life of America has ousted U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) from its advisory board:

Upset by what is sees as U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan abandoning his pro-life position, Democrats For Life of America removed the congressman from its national advisory board.

“DFLA gave Congressman Ryan ample opportunities to prove he’s committed to protecting life, but he has turned his back on the community at every turn,” said Kristen Day, the Washington, D.C.-based pro-life organization’s executive director.

Ryan of Niles, D-17th, insists he’s still a strong pro-life advocate, but grew frustrated with Democrats For Life of America and other pro-life groups that refuse to accept contraceptives as an option to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

“We’re working in Congress with groups that agree with preventative options while [the DFLA] is getting left behind,” Ryan said. “I can’t figure out for the life of me how to stop pregnancies without contraception. Don’t be mad at me for wanting to solve the problem.” [ED.: How to "stop pregnancies". The key to reducing the so-called "need" for abortion.]

Ryan said he tried to convince officials with Democrats For Life of America, which he referred to today as a “fringe group,” [ED.: Got that, Democrat pro-lifers? The most high-profile pro-life organization in the Democrat Party is dismissed as "fringe" by a Democrat who claims to be pro-life (even though he rarely votes that way). And now we know the definition of "fringe" to charlatans like Ryan: as long as you're providing cover for him to play "pro-life" while he continues to support the Democrats' culture-of-death agenda, you're a "mainstream" pro-life organization; but the moment you call him on his hypocrisy and cease to give him cover, you're "fringe".] that the use of contraception is needed as part of any plan to reduce unintended pregnancies but that failed.

“They asked me to leave; I got booted,” said Ryan, who was on the group’s national advisory board for about four years. [ED.: Four years? And he's just now recognizing that this group is "fringe"?]

Day and Mike Gonidakis, executive director of Ohio Right to Life, say Ryan’s pro-life position softened after he was first elected in 2002. [ED.: Yes. We've seen that scenario play out many times before with allegedly "pro-life" Democrats who say one thing to get elected in a socially conservative district only to vote with the pro-abort leadership of their party when they get to D.C.] Ryan disagrees.

(emphasis and editorial commentary added)

My Comments:
Wow! Good for the DFLA.

In similar news, a group of 19 pro-life Democrat congressmen have warned Speaker Pelosi that they will oppose any health-care bill that does not specifically exclude abortion funding. Below is the list of signatories to the letter addressed to Speaker Pelosi:

Reps. Dan Boren (D-OK); Bart Stupak (D-MI); Colin Peterson (D-MN); Tim Holden (D-PA); Travis Childers (D-MS); Lincoln Davis (D-TN); Heath Shuler (D-NC) Solomon Ortiz (D-TX); Mike McIntyre (D-NC); Jerry Costello (D-IL); Gene Taylor (D-MS); James Oberstar (D-MN); Bobby Bright (D-AL); Steve Driehaus (D-OH); Marcy Kaptur (D-OH); Charlie Melancon (D-LA); John Murtha (D-PA); Paul Kanjorski (D-PA); and Kathleen Dahlkemper (D-PA).

I note that the name of Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) is conspicuously absent from the list.

However, in March of 2006, Ryan's name appeared quite prominently on the "House Catholic Democrats' Manifesto", which declared the "primacy of conscience" of these Catholic legislators over Church teaching.

A little over a year later, Ryan's name once again appeared prominently on another declaration issued by some Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, this time among the "Gang of 18" in a statement that strongly criticized Pope Benedict XVI for remarks he made (while en route to Brazil) regarding the appropriateness of Catholic politicians being held accountable by their bishops for failing to oppose the legalized killing of unborn children.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan: Democrat, first; Catholic, maybe second; pro-life, my ass.