Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), who created a firestorm Wednesday by claiming that incidences of pregnancy resulting from rape “are very low,” is appealing to his supporters’ wallets in response to a campaign by what he calls the “abortion lobby.”
“NARAL, Planned Parenthood and the taxpayer-funded abortion lobby is attacking me for one reason — I’m 100 percent unapologetically pro-life and I won’t back down,” he wrote in a Thursday e-mail obtained by the Arizona Republic. “Will you contribute $25, $50, $100, or even $500 right now to help me fight back?”
As proof, Franks attached an email from NARAL Pro-Choice America, a pro-choice group, that was sent on May 23, however. The lawmaker further told the Republic that his comments were taken out of context and that they were distracting from “real issues” related to legislation he introduced that would institute a nationwide ban on abortions past 20 weeks.
Franks’ comment drew condemnation from both the White House and fellow Republicans.
He later explained that he intended to point out that it’s rare that pregnancies due to rape are terminated after the 20th week.
“Pregnancies from rape that result in abortion after the beginning of the sixth month are very rare,” Franks said in a statement sent to TPM. “This bill does not address unborn children in earlier gestations. Indeed, the bill does nothing to restrict abortions performed before the beginning of the 6th month.”
