Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) announced this week that he has appointed a former Planned Parenthood Vice President and abortion extremist to the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Al Franken who resigned over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Breitbart is reporting on the appointment of Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith to replace Franken. The married mother of two has a long history of government service and also served as Vice President of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakoka, South Dakota from 2003-2006.
The governor’s office bragged about the great work she did while at Planned Parenthood and how she “expanded education and outreach efforts to increase women’s access to healthcare.”
“Tina Smith is a person of the highest integrity and ability,” said Dayton in a statement on his website. “There is no one I trust more to assume the responsibilities of this important office. I know that she will be a superb Senator, representing the best interests of our state and our citizens.”
Smith’s long history of advocating for “abortion rights” proves that her concern is only for those citizens fortunate enough to have been born. The lives of unborn Minnesotans have been in her crosshairs for years.
As Leo LaLonde, president of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life reports, Smith has opposed informing women about abortion risks, complications and alternatives. She opposed the Positive Alternatives Act of 2005 which provides pregnant women in need with practical assistance and argued that pregnancy care centers that don’t refer women for abortions should not receive state grants. She vetoed seven different pro-life measures including licensing of abortion facilities and protection for pain-capable unborn children. She also vetoed bills that would have stopped public funding of abortions at facilities like Planned Parenthood and that required abortion facility licensing and inspections.
“That makes her a pro-abortion extremist,” LaLonde writes.
“Gov. Mark Dayton’s appointment of Tina Smith to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate is overwhelmingly disappointing to the state’s pro-life majority. . . . The choice of Ms. Smith is particularly egregious to Minnesota’s pro-life citizens, who will have no representation in the Senate.”
He adds: “Most Minnesotans are pro-life. They support greater protection for unborn human beings. Minnesotans need someone who will fight for justice for the most vulnerable among us, the unborn.”
Minnesota resident Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, says her organization views Smith’s appointment as a sign of Democrats’ continued full embrace of abortion in their political platform.
“As a successor to Al Franken, who preyed on women, it only makes sense that his replacement would be someone who used to make money preying on vulnerable women for Planned Parenthood,” she said in a statement. “Students for Life of America strongly opposes the selection of Tina Smith. Planned Parenthood continues to oppose even common-sense legislation, such as requiring health standards for abortion facilities, protecting minors, and prohibiting abortions based on race and gender.”
Not all of the citizens of Minnesota are happy about this choice. Responding to Governor Dayton’s tweet about Smith’s appointment, a woman named Ann Kalb summed up the situation with devastating clarity:
“Lots of aborted babies are turning in thier [sic] graves. Lifes lessons: It is not OK to grope women but it is OK to murder unborn babies. God help us. MN deserves better!”
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