NARAL Pro-Choice Abandons Rell - Endorses DeStefano/Glassman

September 15, 2006

New Haven: John DeStefano and Mary Glassman, Democratic nominees for Governor and Lt. Gov., stood with leaders of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut and proudly accepted their endorsement today as part of the organization's 14th Annual Silent & Live Auction at the Bond Hotel in Hartford.

NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut Executive Director, Carolyn Treiss, cited DeStefano and Glassman's position - not shared by Gov. Rell - that emergency contraception should be available to rape victims at all Connecticut hospitals as one reason for the endorsement, "One of the factors we take into account in all races is the candidate's willingness to be a leader and make women's reproductive health and freedom a priority. Mayor DeStefano and Ms. Glassman have both pledged their enthusiastic willingness to be leaders in this area..."

"This endorsement says a lot about what Mary and I stand for," said DeStefano. "We will always protect a woman's right to chose and will never be confused about the importance of women's reproductive freedom. This is about standing up for our daughters, mothers, spouses, and friends."

"I am proud to stand up for the right of women to get the health care they need, and I am honored by NARAL's endorsement," Glassman said. "We've seen Connecticut's lieutenant governors become governor, so the beliefs and the positions of every candidate on the ticket are important."

Triess, speaking for NARAL, said that they had endorsed Rell when she was a candidate for Lt. Gov. but decided they could not longer support her because "we were terribly disappointed in her (Gov. Rell) choice of Michael Fedele as her running mate. Mr. Fedele does not have a 100% pro-choice voting record and did not return our questionnaire. It concerns us that Governor Rell did not take the issue of women's reproductive freedom into account when selecting a running mate. She, of all people, should know the importance of the Lieutenant Governor's position, not only as the deciding vote in the Senate, but also as the next in the line of succession."

DeStefano and Glassman have consistently stood up for women's reproductive freedom. Earlier this year DeStefano called on Wal-Mart to reverse its ban on selling emergency contraception and he urged all Connecticut hospitals to provide access to emergency contraception for rape victims.