Paul Maloney: Wayne Stenehjem Isn't Pro-Life, But Rick Becker Is

My Name is Paul Maloney, some of you may remember me, I was the Executive Director for North Dakota Right to Life.

Earlier today I read that someone thought Wayne Stenehjem was 100% pro-life. This can only be classified as a mistake.

I dedicated my life to defending the unborn, I have read the voting records, I have stood outside the abortion clinic as women walked in. I have helped draft some of the strongest pro-life legislation in this state. I have marched in the cold in D.C on the anniversary of Roe and I can say without hesitation that Wayne is not pro-life, and that even Wayne
would not call himself pro-life.

On December 21, 2015 on SayAnythingBlog, Wayne said he doesn’t like the term “pro-life.” He referred to the unborn as “potential life”. Wayne went on to say “I’m a member of the ELCA church, I abide by and agree with their position on abortion”. Have you read it? It is hardly pro-life. So why would someone put words in his mouth? I don’t know.

[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]In 1995 Wayne voted for tax funding of abortion, in 1991 he voted against abortion restrictions, he even seconded the motion to give the bill a “do not pass” recommendation in committee.[/mks_pullquote]

In 1995 Wayne voted for tax funding of abortion, in 1991 he voted against abortion restrictions, he even seconded the motion to give the bill a “do not pass” recommendation in committee. I am not here to attack the Attorney General. Let’s be clear — it is never Wayne calling himself pro-life, it is someone else who is saying he is pro-life.

You want someone who is 100% pro-life, look to Rick Becker. As a Doctor he knows when life begins, and he knows that “potential life” is not what you call someone with a heartbeat who feels pain. Most importantly, Rick would have never supported tax funding for abortion. That is not fiscally, or socially, conservative.

Rick knows that before Property and before Liberty, is the Right to Life. This is why I can put my reputation behind Rick Becker. I must add, to say he voted against all 4 pro-life bills last year is incorrect. There was not a single pro-life bill last year for him to vote for in 2015. And, in 2013, he did vote for the 20 week ban.

I got to know Rick as a lobbyist, then later personally. I have developed great respect for his views on Life and government in general. To call Rick pro-life is not putting words in his mouth, he tells people himself. To say Rick would defend the unborn is not putting words in his mouth, he has promised it himself. To say Rick knows when life begins is not putting words in his mouth — he has explained it himself.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have been formally advising Dr. Becker in his campaign for a few months. However, long before he ever announced he was running for Governor, he reached out to me for the express purpose of having a deeply-intellectual discussion on the morality of abortion. I can tell you, from literally hours upon hours of thoughtful conversation with this man, that he is truly concerned about the value of human life.