This letter to the editor has been sponsored by Wilton resident Melissa Spohn.
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To the Editor:
The overturning of Roe v. Wade and the attack on women’s reproductive rights is a top issue for women. So I was very concerned when I received a digital advertisement approved by Kim Healy and paid for by two PACs chaired by anti-choice Connecticut House Minority Leader, Vincent Candelora. Candelora received a 100% rating by the Family Institute of Connecticut and was honored in 2018 for his commitment to their mission. According to their website, they are “Against abortion. Period.” Healy makes assurances about abortion support, but those who loudly fight against choice see her as their ally.
Connecticut’s reproductive rights and safe harbor laws can be overturned if Republicans take control. Hartford’s Republican caucus introduced 30 bills over the last eight years to restrict abortion. Republican candidate for governor, Bob Stefanowski, showed his true colors in a statement last week that he wants to restrict abortion access to the first 12 weeks. When he saw that was unpopular he backtracked for now.
So if the Connecticut legislature flips to Republican control and Kim is our representative and Vinny Candelora is her new boss, how comfortable do you feel having her protect our reproductive rights when Republican push comes to Candelora shove? I do not.
Keith Denning understands that reproductive choices are very personal decisions between a woman and her doctor and that the government should never, ever interfere. As a healthcare provider, Keith will always protect and fund reproductive choice and care. Those who truly care about preserving choice should join me in supporting Keith.
Melissa Spohn
Wilton CT
There are Republican candidates asking for your vote, who say they are pro-choice. They need to be up front about their voting history when it comes to this issue.
1) Did they vote for the Republican candidate in the past two presidential elections? If they did, they voted to take away the right for women to have autonomy over their own body. That is not being fiercely independent, that is voting along party lines.
2) Will they vote for Leora Levy? She has made it very clear how she will vote on the issues of abortion AND gun legislation. It they do vote for her, they vote along party lines.
They cannot pledge to the voters that they will always vote in favor of a woman’s right to choose. As for any of the candidates that say they are willing to make exceptions for rape and incest, or life of the mother, they owe it to the voters to explain exactly how that works without re-traumatizing a woman (or girl). Do they have to do a full investigation in order to find out if the woman (or girl) is telling the truth? What happens if law enforcement or a judge decides that the person accused is not guilty? Do they have to wait for a rape kit to be analyzed?
Until those questions are answered, voters do not truly know how these candidates will vote on legislation that comes before them, when it comes to women’s reproductive rights.
Kim may strongly be pro-choice, however, she associates with a party whose leadership is not. These are your people Kim, and they have other plans for reproductive rights and who knows what else. We cant take chances that the 42nd district is represented by a Republican making these civil rights even more vulnerable.
In addition to the pro-choice issue, Kim Healy has said on a number of occasions that she believes that the 2020 election results were legitimate “at least in Connecticut”
– that’s a critical qualifier in my book. I won’t vote for a person that tries to appeal to those who continue to promote that nonsense.
As the subject of this letter, I’d like to respond to a couple of misrepresentations and conclusions based upon implications. The Connecticut House Republican Caucus has never introduced any bills dealing with banning abortion or modifying current laws in my 16 years of service. Second, I would not become Kim Healy’s “boss”, rather the residents of the 42nd take on that roll. Kim would have an equal say as every member of our caucus to help shape policy. I have openly stated my position to the press when asked, I would never push to criminalize abortion or take a caucus position to restrict access under our current laws. Finally, I receive many awards from organizations for my work in the legislature. Ironically, in 2018, I received awards from both the Family Institute and Connecticut Voices for Children, which have progressive positions on many issues. This letter attempts to build a bridge too far and is unfair to the voters in the 42nd.