Doug Johnson, legislative director of National Right to Life, got on a conference call yesterday hosted by the Fake Catholic Group Catholics United.
Catholics United is insisting the healthcare legislation did not contain taxpayer funded abortions in spite of the fact the Catholic bishops insist it did.
The Washington Independent published an account of Johnson’s intervention at the end of the call:
Orthodox. Faithful. Free.
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“Are you familiar with the 23-page sworn affidavit where we enumerate section by section the parts of the [health care reform] bill that allow federal funding of abortion?” Johnson asked Chris Korzen, Executive Director of Catholics United. “It’s online and available to anyone who wants to look at it.”
Johnson was responding in part to Korzen’s earlier remark that “in SBA’s lawsuit, the substance of their claims [against Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Ohio)] is not addressed. The group effectively wants the right to spread false information and lie in order to influence campaigns.”
“Do you believe that I was lying when I signed the NRLC’s sworn affidavit to the Ohio Elections Commission?” Johnson later pressed.
When someone from the National Catholic Reporter suggested Johnson should hold his own phone call, Johnson replied,
“I write for the National Right to Life News with a readership of over 300,000. What’s your readership?”
To which another reporter replied,
“That’s really not the issue.”
Well no, but it’s a very telling and welcome point for Johnson to make.
Tom Peters handles the episode with his characteristic aplomb. Peters, to his credit, uses a Middle English spelling for Catholycs United and Fake Catholycs, an appropriate touch.