Shocker of the Week: Bush Nominates Anti-Choicer

On Monday, George W. Bush nominated Republican Mike Leavitt to replace Tommy Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services, reports Ms. Magazine. Leavitt is former governor of Utah and presently the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Oh, and he also wants to abolish women’s reproductive rights.
Throughout the course of time that Leavitt has been governor, he’s signed various bills prohibiting women’s right to choose. He’s signed legislations that required a 24-hour waiting period before a women can obtain an abortion, forced women to seek counseling (that included biased materials) before getting an abortion, and incorporated the term “unborn children” as included under the state’s homicide statute. Leavitt’s administration defended a 1991 law in court that restricted abortion except in cases of rape, life endangerment, incest, serious fatal defects or a grave danger to the woman’s health. How compassionate.
According to NARAL Pro-Choice America, Leavitt stated in 1992, “I am strongly pro-life and anti-abortion,” Additionally, Leavitt said in 1997 that he wanted Utah to have the “toughest abortion law” in the nation.
It’s nice to know women’s health may be in such good hands. Sigh.