To probably nobodys surprise, Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed a controversial bill Friday that would have required women considering abortion to have an ultrasound first. The veto of a bill that was a priority for Republican lawmakers further distanced himself from his former party.
Supporters of HB 1143, which also required women to pay for the ultrasound with their own -- not taxpayers' -- money, quickly lashed out at newly independent U.S. Senate candidate Crist.
"It is both disappointing and frustrating that Crist has turned his back on one of the core principles I thought we shared the sanctity of life and the value of every human being especially since he previously expressed adherence to those principles, said incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, in a statement.
Crist, long identifying himself as pro-life, has been telegraphing the veto since before the House sent him the bill, amended with the ultrasound provisions in the last days of the legislative session.
This bill places an inappropriate burden on women seeking to terminate a pregnancy, Crist said in a statement. Individuals hold strong personal views on the issue of life, as do I. However, personal views should not result in laws that unwisely expand the role of government and coerce people to obtain medical tests or procedures that are not necessary.
The decision prompted calls from many, saying that Crist was betraying his own pro-life philosophy and his past politics.
Crist is becoming easy to predict: disregarding principle, previous statements or public assurances, he will switch his positions to whatever he thinks will get him the most votes, said House Majority Leader Adam Hasner. He just can't be trusted.
One amendment, filed by Orlando Republican Sen. Andy Gardiner, required that first-trimester patients seeking abortion be shown or be told about images from the ultrasound unless the woman has shown evidence of rape, domestic abuse or incest or signed a waiver saying that she was not coerced into refusal by a third party. Another prevented the use of public funds to pay for the ultrasound procedure.
As the sponsor of the amendment giving women the right and choice to view an ultrasound before going forward with an irreversible and life-changing procedure, I am obviously disappointed by the governors actions today, Gardiner said.
In a statement issued by the Republican Party of Florida, the party's chairman, Sen. John Thrasher of Jacksonville, went on the attack.
Charlie Crist said he was pro-life, but when it comes time to actually do something pro-life, instead he did something he thinks will help his Senate campaign, Thrasher said. How can Charlie Crist claim to be for the people when he vetoed language that would ban public funding of abortion and protect Floridians from a health-care mandate, both issues the vast majority of Floridians support?
The amended bill always faced a rocky road. Most of the Republican women in the Senate opposed the bill.
But the majority of Republicans supported the measure.
Crists veto disregards the wishes of one of Crists staunchest remaining allies in the Republican party, Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey. Fasano is an anti-abortion advocate who voted for the provisions amended to the health-care bill.
I wrote a letter to the governor asking him to please sign it, he told Sunshine State News.
Fasano said that he was not upset by the governors decision or nor did he see it as a contradiction of his politics. The veto was simply a reflection of the governors belief that he should not impose his personal philosophy on the people of Florida, he said.
Crists decision certainly earned him credit among the Democratic party.
I commend the governor for his veto of the ultrasound bill, said Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach. The bill was offensive and demeaning to women and needed to be vetoed.
House Minority Leaders Franklin Sands, D-Weston, echoed Gelbers sentiment.
Its a shame that Republican legislative leaders attempted to place an inappropriate burden on women seeking to terminate a pregnancy and attempted to so wrongly and unwisely expand the role of government, he said in a statement.
I hope that the voters understand that Republican legislative leaders cant be trusted.
Reach Alex Tiegen at atiegen@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (561) 329-5389.
