Quick News Roundup 04/23/10

Supreme Court: President Obama stated this week that he will not use abortion or other social issues as a form of litmus test for who he nominates to the Supreme Court. With his very next breath, the President said that he wants a nominee “…who is going to be interpreting our Constitution in a way that takes into account individual rights, and that includes women’s rights. And that’s going to be something that is very important to me.” And by women’s rights, he means the right to an abortion. So, he says there’s no litmus test…but then says that they must support a women’s “right to choose.”

State Laws: The Virginia State legislature just sided with Governor McDonnell and upheld his budget calling for an end to taxpayer funded abortions. According to Family Foundation director Virginia Cobb, “Prior to the Governor’s amendment, Virginia was one of only 17 states that funded elective (“health” of the mother) abortions.” Now Virgina joins the 33 others who do not fund it. In Georgia a bill to ban selective abortion based on race or sex passed a hurdle, getting out of committee. It could be on the State Legislature’s floor as early as Wednesday of next week.

Michigan Gunman: The man who murdered pro-life protestors last September was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. The murderer, Harlan Drake, tried to argue that he was “insane” at the time of the murders. When he took the stand in defense of himself, according to mlive.com “Drake took the stand in his own defense this week, telling jurors that he didn’t feel any remorse for the slayings. He also testified that he hated himself and deserved to die.”