TODD AKIN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2012 Contact: Chris Brown President Missouri Republican Assembly (314)346-5816 c.brown@sbcglobal.net PRESS RELEASE: Missouri Republican Assembly leadership Continues its support for Congressman Todd Akin. Missouri Republican Assembly Leadership August 21st 2012 supports Congressman Todd Akin's unwavering belief in the sanctity of life while compassionately showing support for the victims of sexual assault and staunchly takes offense at President Obama's stand that forcible rape is equivalent to statutory rape. Congressman Akin used the phrase "legitimate rape" in the sense of an actual, "forcible rape" as opposed to a claimed rape after consensual sex. He did not mean to imply that there is anything "legitimate" about some rapes compared to others or intend to be insensitive about the trauma that is experienced by women in a rape situation. We've all chosen a word with more than one meaning before and we censure those Republicans who refuse to call Bidden to task for his statements and yet throw one of our own under the bus by joining with Democrats in this misleading attack with ulterior motives. We call on all Republicans to accept the Congressman's heartfelt and contrite apology offered by an honorable man. After all, Claire McCaskill supports partial-birth abortion and the Democrat platform contains a pro-abortion plank. Congressman Akin's comment on the rarity of pregnancy following rape was initiated by, "... From what I understand from Doctors." Whether or not this is true (and it probably is as indicated by well documented studies) is immaterial, as the Congressman was relating that which the experts had told him. And the Congressman should be commended for standing by his convictions and being better informed than the general public or liberal media. The real issue is that if you believe that life begins at conception and you have taken an oath to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, then you have to keep your focus on protecting all innocent life or risk multiplying one tragic situation into three. (Two for the mother and one for the baby.) The MRA commends Todd Akin for publicly stating that the child should not be punished for the sins of the father. That we are all endowed by our creator with Liberty and the pursuit of happiness has little meaning when deprived of life. The Republican leadership needs to grow a spine and disallow the Democrats, who always support their candidates even when they are wrong, to dictate our stance. By so doing we are now agreeing with the President that forcible rape and statutory rape are identical. While Todd may have been indiscreet in his word choice, he was not wrong in his facts. Todd can win despite this misstep. All Republicans will lose if they continue throwing their candidates under the bus because of a poor word choice. This is the first out, of the first inning in a long three months with many Democrat directed issues ahead. Issues and battles ahead which will be filled with lies and deception, for such are the tactics of our opponents. If we are unable to stand strong for our values it will be the Republican leadership that allows American expceptionalism to become a footnote in history. ### Released under the authority of the Missouri Republican Assembly. Missouri Republican Assembly 5443 Butler Hill Estate Dr. St. Louis , Missouri 63128