Gov. Sebelius dismisses abortion foes' claims / LJWorld.com

Archive for Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius answers questions about an event last year at Cedar Crest that included Dr. George Tiller as a guest. Sebelius answered the questions following an appearance at Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa St.

By Mark Fagan

May 28, 2008, 5:03 p.m. Updated May 28, 2008, 5:11 p.m.

Kathleen Sebelius: Two decades in politics

Kathleen Sebelius is the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services in Obama's Cabinet. She has served as Kansas' governor since 2002 and before that was insurance commissioner and a state representative.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius confirmed Wednesday that Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider from Wichita, indeed had paid to get a seat at a dinner last year with her at Cedar Crest, the governor's mansion in Topeka.

But Sebelius is dismissing an anti-abortion group's assertions that Tiller had been an honored guest, and that the April 9, 2007, reception had been a "lavish secret party" for Tiller, his staffers and other doctors who perform abortions.

Instead, Sebelius said Wednesday, Tiller simply had purchased the dinner reception that had been offered as a prize during an auction fundraiser conducted as part of the Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus' own Torch Dinner. The governor, a Democrat who supports abortion rights, addressed the issue during an appearance Wednesday afternoon in Lawrence

No special connection. No personal invitation.

No big deal.

"I have offered, at the Torch Dinner in previous years, auction items to come to Cedar Crest," said Sebelius. "This was one of those years, and Dr. Tiller happened to be the bidder on this event.

"And it is not something that I invite the bidder to bid. It's not something that I choose the guests. It's been a tradition ... for a variety of groups whose causes I support: We offer an opportunity to come to lunch at Cedar Crest, come to dinner at Cedar Crest. The expenses are reimbursed, and this just happened to be one of them."

But political opponents aren't buying the explanation for the event, which came at a time Tiller was under investigation by the state attorney general's office regarding accusations that his clinic in Wichita had conducted illegal late-term abortions.

The attorney general's office later filed misdemeanor charges, and Tiller has denied breaking the law. The case is pending in Sedgwick County.

Wednesday's focus, however, remained on Sebelius' dinner reception, and Tiller's attendance.

"Her use of a taxpayer-funded facility to honor an individual whose money has fueled her campaigns and personal agenda is appalling," said Kris Kobach, chairman of the Kansas Republican Party. "She has abused her stewardship over the people's house. : Using it to host a notorious late-term abortionist is disgraceful."

News of the dinner with Tiller comes as Sebelius' stature on the national political scene picks up, especially as Sen. Barack Obama moves closer to securing the Democratic nomination for president.

Sebelius, an early backer of Obama, delivered the Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union speech in January, and increasingly has shown up on speculation lists of potential running mates for Obama. She is considered a political moderate, a Democrat elected in a Republican state.

Sebelius has vetoed legislation backed by abortion opponents, and earlier this month a Roman Catholic archbishop said that Sebelius should refrain from taking Communion - until and unless she takes "necessary steps for amendment of her life," such as publicly repudiating her support for abortion rights.

On Wednesday, Sebelius faced questions about the 2007 dinner after Operation Rescue - a Wichita-based organization that opposes abortion rights - posted photos from the event on the organization's web site.

Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, said that it was "laughable" for Sebelius to say she had no control over who would be at the party. Newman said the party was an indication of a broader relationship between Sebelius and the "abortion industry."

Sebelius, for her part, also dismissed criticism that the dinner reception had not been listed on her public schedule for the day involved. Virtually all receptions conducted at the governor's mansion, she said, never make it on the list.

"That isn't something that we do," Sebelius said. "A lot of what we do at Cedar Crest is private."

- Business editor Mark Fagan can be reached at 832-7188.

Discussion

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28 May 2008
at 7:06 p.m.

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Eride (Anonymous) says…

Hmm… it was an auctioned item for charity… and he bid the most… and like all auctioned items the one who bids the most wins… yes. I can completely understand how that is the same as throwing a secret, honorary orgy for pro-late term abortions.
28 May 2008
at 7:13 p.m.

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Baille (Anonymous) says…

Hey, Kris. Republican hatchetman. You want Tiller excluded from the Governor's table? Shut. Up. And bid.
28 May 2008
at 7:42 p.m.

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situveux1 (Anonymous) says…

Hmmm, she probably could have uninvited him and I'd guess at the very least not posed with him for pictures.http://operationrescue.org/photos/main.php?g2_itemId=4190But whatever…she's an abortion lover, I don't think that was ever a secret.
28 May 2008
at 9:11 p.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

I bet Judge Six, was their also, want to bet. Now the AG.
28 May 2008
at 9:15 p.m.

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peach_plum_pear (Anonymous) says…

looks like abortion opponents are up to what they do best: inserting themselves into what isn't their business. why, why can't these people devote their energy and resources to something relevant like education or energy policy?
28 May 2008
at 9:18 p.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24861965/
28 May 2008
at 9:22 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

Sebelius says that the attendees of receptions at Cedar Crest are always kept private. The question is, why? If the governor is auctioning off access to the highest bidder, then the taxpayers should know about it.

28 May 2008
at 9:35 p.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

Msnbc stated that Tiller contributed over $12,000 to her first political quest as Commissioner of Insurance. This is strange since she stated she was not accepting any monies from anyone or any group thats her position as insurance commissioner, would require her to make decisions upon. She returned all contributions from any insurance agent stating this was her policy. Yet taking $12,000 from Tiller, was acceptable. Kathy needs to be investigated because she seems to have a double standard when monies from insurance agents were returned, as small as $25.00 and contrary to her logic. Tillers $12,000 plus, never returned?
28 May 2008
at 9:53 p.m.

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dirkleisure (Anonymous) says…

Yes, Godot. Why don't you call Bill Graves, Joan Finney, Mike Hayden, and John Carlin, to name a few, and demand the lists?While you're at it, why don't you call The White House?Face it - your outrage is partisan, not practical.
28 May 2008
at 10:14 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

In answer to dirkleisure, I do not detect any outrage in my post; I asked a civil question.Second, the question is not about any other governor, it is about this one.
28 May 2008
at 10:14 p.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

This just further goes to show just how deep and how far the left will go in defending Tiller, for their cause. They all know he helps cover up for child rapist by killing a third trimester infant without reporting the crime. I wonder just how the air is at these private meetings. What do these Dems say to Tiller, I wonder. “we support you” it's our right too privacy and it's no ones business if my minor daughter is raped. It 's my choice that my daughter see's Dr. Tiller. It's not her choice, she was raped, it's liberal moms choice that the problem gets solved by killing the baby. What else can they do? They could call Super Kline, to go after Batman or boy wonder, but instead the Joker gets to run free and the “Riddler”ie. AG Six, is appointed to shove criptonite in Super Klines Christmas stocking. Kathy, is just the wicked witch of the West, always whipping poor dorothy for her own political gain.
28 May 2008
at 10:18 p.m.

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frwent (Anonymous) says…

Peach, plum pear, AMEN!! If you do not want an abortion, do not get one. If you do not want someone else to get one, ii is no damned business of yours.. Is that too hard to understand???? How do you anti-abortion idiots (You listening, Phillllllll???)get to the notion that ogther people's private medical business or life situation business is any of your damned business???? i amd damned sick and tired of these self-righteous persons trying to be like Hitler and determine the ciourse of other people's lives and business.
28 May 2008
at 10:29 p.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

He won something, so he should donate it since he doesn't need it, right? He should have given it to one of these Momsof25 who are single and hungry. They want the Project Graduation car, too.
28 May 2008
at 10:36 p.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

…and the Pope would say:Parents teach your daughters chastity and punish the boys that make her a wontom women. If he is a thief, punish him. if she is a harlot she must bear the cross with shame.
28 May 2008
at 10:47 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

What right does the governor of the state of Kansas have to auction off a reception at Cedar Crest? What is the highest bidder had been bin Laden?

28 May 2008
at 10:52 p.m.

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Agnostick (Anonymous) says…

Quite the astounding amount of illiteracy in this thread…Photos from the 2005 Torch Dinner:http://www.gkcwpc.org/torch/torch_awards_2005_pics.phpReservation form for the 2007 dinner:http://www.gkcwpc.org/Reservation.pdfAd/Tribute order form for the 2007 dinner:http://www.gkcwpc.org/Ad.pdfKC Star blog item about the 2007 dinner:http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/6962(yeah, yeah, I know—Morrison was “burning the torch at both ends,” yuk yuk yuk…)Plans are already underway for this year's dinner:http://www.gkcwpc.org/torch/torch_start.phpLooks like a Miss Serena Hein is organizing this year's auction. Think they keep records of those auction items? Yeah, they probably do.Considering that Governor Kathleen Sebelius has such a good relationship with this organization, I expect that by the start of next week, The gkcwpc will put together a quick press conference and—with the permission of the winning bidders—produce the bid sheets from that silent auction.While it's pretty obvious that somebody like Troy Newman or Cheryl Sullenger would never put their money where their mouth is, and bid on that same dinner that Tiller won… let's assume, for a moment, that they did.Let's assume that Newman paid the winning bid on that item: Dinner with Governor Sebelius at Cedarcrest.In fact, let's say it's actually a *private* dinner—nobody but Sebelius and Newman at the table. Somebody cooking, and somebody waiting table on the diners.A five-… no, a six-course meal. Newman has the governor's ears for a good 60-90 minutes.Sebelius knows Newman, knows what he'll most likely want to talk about. So, should Sebelius “uninvite” Newman? If you can “uninvite” one person, then everyone is… well… “uninviteable.” Right?I think this will be cleared up in a matter of days. And I think the gkcwpc will politely decline Tiller's money from now on…Agnostickagnostick@excite.comhttp://www.uscentrist.orghttp://www.americanplan.org
28 May 2008
at 10:53 p.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

Godot: “Don't drop the Soap”, game, just guessing. Lol.
28 May 2008
at 10:54 p.m.

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BigPrune (Anonymous) says…

If you have ever had a child or children, would it be strange to actually shake hands with let alone put your arm around someone like Tiller knowing he has killed thousands of babies? It would almost be like shaking hands with Adolph Eichmann who killed millions of people. “The highest density of pain receptors per square inch of skin in human development occurs in utero from 20 to 30 weeks gestation. During this period, the epidermis is still very thin, leaving nerve fibers closer to the surface of the skin than in older neonates and adult:Thus, a fetus at 20-32 weeks of gestation would experience a much more intense pain than older infants or children or adults:” [expert testimony provided to the Northern District of the US District Court in CA (15Apr04), Dr. Sunny Anand (Dir, Pain Neurobiology Lab, Arkansas Children's Hospital Research)]
28 May 2008
at 10:58 p.m.

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Agnostick (Anonymous) says…

Godot (Anonymous) says:”What right does the governor of the state of Kansas have to auction off a reception at Cedar Crest? What if the highest bidder had been bin Laden?”____________________________________________________Then Queen Kathleen would've welcomed him into Cedarcrest with open arms!After slipping a little something in the Imam's wine, the Queen would slapped on a pair of handcuffs, stuffed a big, fat piece of pork loin in Osama's piehole, and called up the FBI!! While waiting for the Feds, Osama and John would enjoy beer and pork rinds while enjoying a rousing game of “Don't Drop The Soap!”And that's how an intelligent Democrat would capture the world's #1 terrorist.Which, judging by the track record of the current occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania, is probably how it'll go down in the end, anyways. Probably sometime in 2009 or 2010…—Ag
28 May 2008
at 11:01 p.m.

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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

nicely done, Godot!***at www.www.bottradionetwork.comyou can view a video produced by famed kc-area journalist Jack Cashill (and acquaintance of mine), on gov. Billious and the abortion/tiller money, money laundering, etc. ***okay, the article doesn't tell us:*just why was governor Billious at Wal-mart today? did she run out of charcoal at Cedarcrest?
29 May 2008
at 1 a.m.

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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

And that's how an intelligent Democrat would capture the world's #1 terrorist.I call *oxymoron!And that's how an intelligent Democrat would capture the world's #1 terrorist.
29 May 2008
at 1:29 a.m.

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igby (Anonymous) says…

FYIMuslims don't eat pork but Blonds are historically bought and sold. Lol.