The Alliance for a Pro-Life Alabama (APLA) on Thursday announced that Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, Alabama Republican Party chair Terry Lathan and former state Representative Mary Sue McClurkin have agreed to serve as co-chairs of the group.
Per a press release, these three prominent Republican leaders will lead APLA’s efforts to pass Amendment Two on the upcoming general election ballot.
“Alabama has the chance to lead the nation in protecting unborn life with successful passage of Amendment Two on November 6,” Cavanaugh said. “Amendment Two declares Alabama as a pro-life state and positions us to take action in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned, which seems an increasing possibility with the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.”
This pro-life constitutional amendment is being opposed by Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, along with Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and the Feminist Majority Foundation. These liberal organizations have already poured in over $850,000 in out-of-state funds to try and defeat Amendment Two.
“Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and other ultra-liberal groups are working to defeat Amendment Two and block Alabama’s opportunity to defend the unborn,” Lathan said. “According to Secretary of State finance reports, out-of-state leftist groups have donated almost $1 million to PACs working against Amendment Two in order to preserve the abortion mill industry.”
Lathan, a former public school teacher in Mobile, has chaired the ALGOP since being elected to the post in February of 2015. She and her husband Jerry were selected as the “Alabama Republicans of the Year” prior to her service as state party chair.
McClurkin served as a state representative from 1998 – 2014 and successfully passed several pro-life measures into law during her four terms in Montgomery. Yellowhammer News named her as “one of the most ardently pro-life members of the Alabama legislature.”
“The same liberal groups that attacked Justice Brett Kavanaugh and attempted to destroy his life have now turned their attention fully toward Alabama and Amendment Two,” McClurkin said. “The choice is clear. Alabamians can side with unborn life and support Amendment Two, or they can side with Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and the abortion industry by voting against it. I’m standing strong for unborn babies.”
Amendment Two, which was sponsored by state Rep. Matt Fridy (R-Montevallo), “would add language to the state constitution acknowledging the sanctity of unborn life and stipulating that the state constitution provides no right to abortion.”
While opponents of the amendment have engaged in fear-mongering, saying the amendment would ban abortions entirely, the facts are very clear.
“The proposed amendment does not identify any specific actions or activities as unlawful. It expresses a public policy that supports broad protections for the rights of unborn children as long as the protections are lawful,” the Fair Ballot Commission explained.
You can read the objective Fair Ballot Commission’s entire write-up on the amendment, which Alabamians will vote on November 6, here.
APLA executive director Cole Wagner said the alliance has previously recruited several notable partner organizations and elected officials, including: Alabama Citizens’ Action Program (ALCAP), Alabama Policy Institute, Alabama Pro-Life Coalition, Alabama Pro-Life Education Fund, Choose Life, Inc., Cameron’s Choice, Eagle Forum, Southeast Law Institute, Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia), state Sen. Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) and state Rep. Will Ainsworth (R-Guntersville).
Wagner noted that APLA has created a public Facebook page (click here) and will soon begin media efforts in support of the pro-life constitutional amendment.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
