Pro-life candidate in Colorado race asked about girlfriend's abortion in excruciating interview

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: UK Independent

55 minutes ago


A Republican running against Lauren Boebert for the US House was caught in an awkward moment when grilled about paying for a girlfriend’s abortion decades ago.

Richard Holtorf, a member of the Colorado state House of Representatives running in the Republican primary for the House, revealed earlier this year that he had financed an abortion a girlfriend asked him to pay for when she became pregnant in his early 20s and Holtorf was a college student.

The tense exchange occurred during an interview with News 9 anchor Thursday evening. “If abortion was the best choice for your girlfriend, why try to deny that choice to other women?” anchor Kyle Clark asked. The Republican candidate deflected, asking Clark if he had listened to the remarks he had made in January initially describing the situation. Clark countered that Holtorf’s logic in the speech was “scattered” and repeated his question.

The candidate would not explain why he had voted to take what he himself described as a “right” away from women, who like his girlfriend, may decide it is their best option. “I dont [seek to deny that right],” Holtorf claimed. Clark shot back: “You have voted to restrict abortion access with legislation.” “I have,” Holtorf responded. He added he believes women should choose life at every opportunity, but that there should be “exceptions” to restrictions on the practice.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/holtorf-colorado-boebert-district-congress-b2563616.html

[magicarpet]

1. Okie Dokie for me when I am in a jam up.

But not for thee.

The privileged and elite live by a very different set of rules than the commoners.

[Old Crank]

2. Since the Republicans want to charge abortion as murder

his girl friend would be a murderer and he is an accomplice. There isn't a statute of limitations for murder.

Just think of how many people we can jail in that case.

[Mysterian]

27. No ex post facto laws

per the constitution.

[Timeflyer]

3. Typical forced-birther hypocrisy. Anyone they've had sex with or are related to are entitled to be "exceptions."

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. Persons capable of pregnancy are not equal under the law of the Subversive Court.

[KS Toronado]

5. Do as I say, not as I do.

[tanyev]

6. "The only moral abortion is my abortion."

“I have done several abortions on women who have regularly picketed my clinics, including a 16 year old schoolgirl who came back to picket the day after her abortion, about three years ago. During her whole stay at the clinic, we felt that she was not quite right, but there were no real warning bells. She insisted that the abortion was her idea and assured us that all was OK. She went through the procedure very smoothly and was discharged with no problems. A quite routine operation. Next morning she was with her mother and several school mates in front of the clinic with the usual anti posters and chants. It appears that she got the abortion she needed and still displayed the appropriate anti views expected of her by her parents, teachers, and peers.” (Physician, Australia)

“I’ve had several cases over the years in which the anti-abortion patient had rationalized in one way or another that her case was the only exception, but the one that really made an impression was the college senior who was the president of her campus Right-to-Life organization, meaning that she had worked very hard in that organization for several years. As I was completing her procedure, I asked what she planned to do about her high office in the RTL organization. Her response was a wide-eyed, ‘You’re not going to tell them, are you!?’ When assured that I was not, she breathed a sigh of relief, explaining how important that position was to her and how she wouldn’t want this to interfere with it.” (Physician, Texas)

“In 1990, in the Boston area, Operation Rescue and other groups were regularly blockading the clinics, and many of us went every Saturday morning for months to help women and staff get in. As a result, we knew many of the ‘antis’ by face. One morning, a woman who had been a regular ‘sidewalk counselor’ went into the clinic with a young woman who looked like she was 16-17, and obviously her daughter. When the mother came out about an hour later, I had to go up and ask her if her daughter’s situation had caused her to change her mind. ‘I don’t expect you to understand my daughter’s situation!’ she angrily replied. The following Saturday, she was back, pleading with women entering the clinic not to ‘murder their babies.'” (Clinic escort, Massachusetts)

https://joycearthur.com/abortion/the-only-moral-abortion-is-my-abortion/

More anecdotes at link.

[PatSeg]

8. Thanks for posting

What a bunch of hypocrites. They clearly are "pro-choice" when it comes to their situations, but "pro-life" for everyone else. What about "choice" don't they understand?

[IronLionZion]

22. That's the point. They know they will always have the choice for themselves.

They can always travel to the nearest place where it is still legal. They want to deny the choice to those who don't have the means to travel. It makes them feel morally superior to judge others. They are compensating for their own sinful behavior in other areas. The unborn are an easy straw man for them since conservative policies royally screw humans after they are born.

[PatSeg]

28. Yes, I've found this to be true on so many issues

For instance, they are often critical of anyone who needs any kind of government assistance, but when they need help, they are first in line. For them, everything is subjective. They apparently are incapable of empathy.

[IronLionZion]

31. The bailouts of banks during the great recession and of businesses during COVID

are the types of socialism these people support. Any assistance to desperate individuals and families is too much for them.

[PatSeg]

32. Yes in the end,

it is not so much about the assistance as it is about WHO is receiving it. Their anti socialism stance is often tribal and/or bigotry.

[nuxvomica]

7. Politics and the law should end at a person's skin

That's a bright red line that should never be crossed except in the most extraordinary circumstances. I don't see how people can be against that. Many who called mask mandates "authoritarian", or, as one LTTE author in the local paper recently called it, "fascism", nonetheless have no problem with restricting abortion.

[PatSeg]

9. "There should be exceptions to restrictions on the practice"

Like exceptions for republican politicians?

[Firestorm49]

10. Do as I say, not as I do, is alive and well.

[paulrevere2018]

11. Unabashed lying hypocrite. It was convenient at the time to pay for (and I am sure support/push) his

Last edited Mon Jun 17, 2024, 11:26 AM - Edit history (1)

girlfriend to get an abortion. And now he wants to stay in power, so he opposes it to keep the support of his lying and hypocritical base.

[orleans]

12. video of interview

Link to tweet

[BumRushDaShow]

14. OMG - Just the opening to that abortion question

"You have talked openly about various women that you have impregnated."

The guy couldn't keep his fly zipped.

Thank you for posting that. We need that interviewer moderating the Presidential debate.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

30. He's a fucking slimy weasel.

He never directly answered the question and in the end tried to pin all of the blame on the woman.

He admitted giving her money to “live her best life” which I take as money to get an abortion performed.

Then he tried to thrust Kyle Clark into his situation with the “what would you have done when you were my age” argument.

He’s just another lying GOP hypocrite who thinks rules and laws apply to everyone else but him. And if he gets cornered by his hypocrisy and lies, he always has some excuse and he’s always the victim.

[Martin68]

13. We need to expose every one of these hypocritical men who get votes for being anti-abortion but have made

en exception for themselves in the past.

[mn9driver]

15. Greed and hunger for power.

The reason this guy cannot put a coherent thought together on this subject is because he wants GOP votes. He doesn’t actually believe that women don’t deserve control over their own bodies. His previous actions belie that.

He just believes that in order to win, he has to pretend that he is pro-life. He doesn’t care that the GOP will happily destroy the lives of countless women with this bullshit, as long as he gets their votes.

He is even worse than the assholes who actually believe women don’t deserve and can’t be trusted with their own bodies. He is a lying opportunist who doesn’t care what damage he does, as long as he wins.

Sound familiar? He’ll fit right in with TSF’s party.

[orleans]

16. snips

“I have,” Holtorf responded. He added he believes women should choose life at every opportunity, but that there should be “exceptions” to restrictions on the practice.

“Is one of the exceptions when Richard Holtorf is the father?” asked Clark.

“No! It’s not about me!” Holtorf responded. “Don’t personalize it and make it about me.”

(on state house floor):

Speaking about his then-girlfriend, he told his colleagues: “I respected her rights and actually gave her money to help her through her important, critical time so she could live her best life.” He made those remarks while the chamber voted on a resolution led by Democrats to commemorate the original Supreme Court decision in Roe vs Wade, which established federal protections for abortion rights.

from op link
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/holtorf-colorado-boebert-district-congress-b2563616.html

[wolfie001]

17. It resembled an old time Auto-da-fe

And I enjoyed every second of it.

[jayschool2013]

18. Kudos to Kyle Clark

Clearly "the media" get it right sometimes.

Journalism is not a synonym for media.

[Wonder Why]

19. Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing". Perfect description of repug candidates. Everything.else is last.

[bluestarone]

20. If the TRUTH was known, there would be

millions of these PHONEY'S on the RETHUGLICON side guilty of this same thing over the years.

[hamsterjill]

21. What an asshole!

To make it all worse than it already is, the asshole tries to place blame on the girlfriend. “She” made the decision while he was deployed? Oh good grief!

How do they say this shit with a straight face and a thunder bolt doesn’t zap the shit outta them!!!

[IronLionZion]

23. Trump has probably caused abortions to happen

considering his cheating, lying, and generally sinful way of living. He has admitted to having STIs. He doesn't like condoms even with porn stars.

[Paladin]

24. Not nearly excruciating enough. Not even close. (nt)

[catbyte]

25. And to this clown, "exceptions" mean exceptions for him and his cronies if they knock up their girlfriends

or mistresses, but none for anyone else. These hypocrites make me sick.

[Demovictory9]

26. a second girlfriend who became pregnant chose to give up their child for adoption

How many women did he impregnate?!

[viva la]

29. Pretty soon he's going to blame it all on the girlfriend.

[Bengus81]

33. If Larry Flynt was still alive he'd have a bounty out on Republican hypocrites......

Just like he had on Republicans during the Clinton/Lewinsky years.