* I posted this story earlier today as an update, but this is from WJBC…
The Republican candidate for Illinois Attorney General pledges her independence despite Gov. Bruce Rauner’s endorsement.
Visiting the McLean County Fair Friday night, Erika Harold said she has many disagreements with the Republican governor, including his signing into a law a bill expanding taxpayer support for abortions to include women on Medicaid and state employee insurance.
Sen. Kwame Raoul’s campaign told me that if Harold’s going to distance herself from Rauner on HB40, “it’s only fair that she is forthright and held accountable on just how far away she is.” But as the Raoul campaign rightly notes, she refuses to answer reporters’ questions on the topic.
So, in other words, her views don’t matter except when she’s using those views to separate herself from Gov. Rauner.
* From Bill Cameron’s show…
Cameron: Senator Raoul tries to tag you as being so pro-life, you even include incest and rape of the mother, being pro-life.
Harold: The reality is that this office is about following the law and enforcing the law regardless of your political opinions and your personal views. And I have been clear about that from day one. I understand that it’s my job to enforce the law, and that’s what people want in this state. They understand that there’s a broad spectrum of issues about which we will disagree. We are a very diverse state, but what we need is people who will follow the law, and I’ve made clear I’m committed to doing that.
Cameron: What is your position on abortion?
Harold: Everyone knows that I’m pro-life. I’ve been very clear about that. But I have been equally clear about the fact that I believe in following the law. The reality is also that HB40 includes a trigger provision that in the instance that something changed with respect to Roe v Wade, Illinois would remain a state in which abortion was legal. So focusing on these issues is really a distraction from what the Attorney General will have the power to do. And people, when I’m traveling around the state, they want an Attorney General that will be vigorous in fighting against public corruption, that will address some of the issues with workers compensation reform, and will most importantly follow the law.
Cameron: So you’re anti-abortion even on rape and incest?
Harold: I am pro-life but I will follow the law, and that’s what this is about.
Cameron: You’re dodging me on those two categories…
Harold: I’m not dodging. I’m not dodging at all because my political views and my personal views on this are very clear, and I’ve discussed them during the course of this campaign. But what people want to know is, what are you going to do with respect to the power and the position that you’re actually seeking? And it’s follow the law.
Cameron: But you’re not telling me where you are on rape and incest…
Harold: I believe I am pro-life with the exception being life of the mother. And that is something I have been very clear about, but what’s important for this issue is that I will follow the law. And the other thing that’s important is that HB40 is in place, and it doesn’t matter what the personal views of the person who holds that office is because it’s already, that was part of the point of HB40. And so for people to continue to use this issue as a way to say ‘you have to vote for someone because somehow people’s particular rights are under attack’ is completely disingenuous and is a distraction from the issues that the Attorney General will actually face.
Lots of words.
* She did the same thing with Mark Maxwell…
Maxwell: “In a previous run for Congress, you mention that even in cases of rape and incest - which most Republicans carve those out - you are still opposed to abortion. Have your views at all evolved or changed on that particular issue?”
Harold: “My views are clear. I will uphold Illinois law, and that’s what’s important for voters to know about this.”
Fair hit or not?
