While Mike Pence may no longer be in Donald Trump’s inner circle, he’s definitely not stepping away from politics just yet. In fact, Pence is still very much involved in shaping the future of the Republican Party.
A recent article from Politico reveals that Pence’s organization, Advancing American Freedom (AAF), is on a mission to persuade Republican senators to block one of Trump’s top Cabinet picks – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. Why? Because of Kennedy’s past stance on abortion.
According to AAF, Kennedy is “pro-abortion,” and the group believes that his views clash with the pro-life stance of the Trump administration. They argue that someone like Kennedy doesn’t align with the values that Trump’s first term stood for.
In their statement, AAF raised concerns about Kennedy’s past support for abortion, even though he’s recently made efforts to reach out to pro-life groups, saying he would be cautious with their views if confirmed. Still, AAF isn’t fully convinced.
This push against Kennedy isn’t new – it follows comments Pence made in December, where he called Kennedy “the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history.”
It’s worth noting that Kennedy has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride on the abortion issue. When running for president as an independent, he initially supported a 15-week abortion ban but later reversed himself, saying that everyone should have the right to an abortion – even up until full-term. He later clarified that he only supports restrictions during late pregnancy.
So, why is all this a big deal? The HHS plays a crucial role in abortion policy in the U.S. It helps fund organizations like Planned Parenthood, and it oversees the regulation of abortion drugs like Mifepristone. With all this power, who leads the department is no small matter.
As Politico points out, there’s also growing pressure from groups like the Heritage Foundation to restrict abortion access by enforcing laws like the Comstock Act of 1873, which could limit access to abortion medications.
It’s safe to say that the battle over who should lead HHS is about far more than just one person’s nomination – it’s about the future of abortion policy in America.
