Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.)—he of the months of health care/abortion agony—is retiring. But on his way out, he’s making sure to send a little help to his friends. Politico has the story:
Stupak has cut campaign checks for Ohio Rep. Steve Driehaus, Indiana Reps. Joe Donnelly and Baron Hill and Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Carney and Kathy Dahlkemper — all of whom joined Stupak in negotiating with leadership for tighter limits on federal support for abortion. Stupak also donated to West Virginia Rep. Alan Mollohan, another abortion opponent who lost reelection in a May Democratic primary.
Unfortunately for the recipients of Stupak’s largesse, his funds won’t come close to offsetting the money that GOP-leaning pro-life groups have committed to taking out Democrats who oppose abortion rights. Stupak has given out $35,000 in donations to Dem candidates. But the Susan B. Anthony list (an anti-abortion rights political action committee) spent $78,000 in the Mollohan race alone. The PAC has also vowed to spend a total of $1 million defeating Stupak’s allies. Suddenly, $35,000 doesn’t look like so much money.
