Brooks, Slaughter exchange barbs over "legitimate rape" remark controversy

Posted at: 08/22/2012 5:49 PM | Updated at: 08/22/2012 6:06 PM
By: Berkeley Brean | WHEC.com

Remarks from Missouri Republican Congressman Todd Akin on what he called "legitimate rape" have sparked debate in both political parties and some heated press releases for the congressional race in Rochester.

In this press release issued Tuesday, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter says her opponent Maggie Brooks is hiding her pro-life position and accuses brooks of trying to "buy her seat with right wing money."

Rep. Slaughter says in her experience, republican representatives have to toe the party line in house votes, especially when it comes to abortion. She said Maggie Brooks would be no different if she were elected.

This issue started after Rep. Akin's remarks about rape and a woman's natural ability to halt that pregnancy. Brooks points out that she condemned Akin's comments and has never even met the man.

Rep. Slaughter's campaign press release labeled Brooks as part of the (Rep. Paul) Ryan-Akin agenda, two republican congressmen who sponsored a bill to redefine rape.

"The press release we got from you talks about the Brooks-Ryan-Akin agenda. Do you think she's on the same agenda?" I asked.
"You'll have to ask her," Slaughter said.
"That's what your release says," I said.
"I'm believing that would be the case because I know what the pressure if like down there to vote these bills."

"You have a congressman in Missouri who I don't know making a stupid statement that I've already condemned publicly and you have a congresswoman, Louise, who has talked about the republicans being Nazis coming to Washington to kill women. That is exactly the type of extreme rhetoric that people are absolutely sick of," Brooks said.

Where they stand on abortion

Rep. Slaughter is pro-choice. In fact she voted eight times against a ban on late term abortion, sometimes called partial birth abortion.

County Executive Maggie Brooks says she is pro-life but says abortion should be an option in the case of rape, incest or for the health of the mother.

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