Reps. Todd Akin And Paul Ryan Co-Sponsored Bill Using Term “Forcible Rape”

As controversy swirls around Rep. Todd Akin, running for Senate against Senator Claire McCaskill, it is relevant to remember that Akin co-sponsored, with likely VP nominee Paul Ryan, “the ‘No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,’ which initially included language which changed the definition of “rape” to “forcible rape,” until public pressure forced the bill’s supporters to remove that unacceptable and narrow definition.” As Zerlina Maxwell writes:

Paul Ryan is not just anti-choice, his anti-choice views are extreme and just plain bad for all women.

Linking Ryan to Akin and the idea that there is such a thing as “legitimate rape” based on pseudo-science and folklore is something that needs to be done before the upcoming election. While Team Romney attempted to create distance with Akin, saying that both Romney and Ryan “disagree” with his statements, there was nothing in their statement that said they condemn his remarks as hurtful to victims. There was also nothing in Team Romney’s statement that pointed out that what Akin said about pregnancies resulting from rape being rare is just flat-out wrong.

Ryan was against abortion in all cases including rape until Team Romney’s statement. Romney has said he would get rid of Planned Parenthood and has been moving further right on women’s issues since he was a pro-choice governor of Massachusetts. This could be a huge problem for the Republican ticket in November.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.