Yesterday, Right Wing Watch released a video from early in Todd Akin’s Senate campaign in which Akin admits to having been arrested for blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic. The video, from a “pastor’s briefing” in 2011, features Akin alongside David Barton addressing an audience about when religious values must submit to government authority.
In the video, Akin says candidly to the audience, “Yesterday I spoke to a group of people who had been in jail with me, you know don’t tell anybody I’m a jail bird, you know, but there were a bunch of us that were years ago involved in the pro-life movement and the question becomes: the Bible says, ‘rescue the innocent that is being led to slaughter,’ so a bunch of us sat in front of these doors and the police gave us a ride to the free hotel for a while and you know how it goes, and the question is, is that biblical or not?”
Akin already faced nationwide criticism last month after sparking controversy by claiming that “legitimate rape” does not usually lead to pregnancy. Akin has been endorsed by right wing staunch women’s rights opponent Phyllis Schlafly, who stood to the right of Todd Akin at his press conference earlier this week when he announced he will stay in his race against incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill. Akin had faced pressure to drop of the race due to his “legitimate rape” comment. Many Republicans, including Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), and four former Missouri Senators, have urged Akin to step down from the race.
Media Resources: Huffington Post 9/27/12; Right Wing Watch 9/27/12; Feminist Newswire 9/26/12, 8/24/12
