Obama and Romney must choose sides in Personhood debate as Personhood Oklahoma Supreme Court challenge escalates

DENVER, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thomas Goldstein, a leading Washington lawyer and publisher of SCOTUSblog.com predicts that the upcoming Supreme Court term is "probably the biggest term in at least a decade."

Prominent among the handful of politically charged issues facing the Supreme Court is Oklahoma's personhood initiative. On April 30, in a rare move against the people of Oklahoma, the State Supreme Court ruled against the ballot initiative before it went to a vote, denying the people's right to vote on the measure which seeks to protect all human beings from conception.

The Center for Reproductive Rights and the ACLU filed briefs on Friday, September 28, challenging Personhood Oklahoma's petition to the US Supreme Court.

"We knew the day would come when the Personhood initiative would come before the U.S. Supreme Court," stated Gualberto Garcia Jones, J.D., legal analyst for Personhood USA. "With the presidential election in full swing, the debates just around the corner, and the future of the Supreme Court in the balance, the question now looms larger than ever: will a real pro-life presidential candidate please stand up for the pro-life movement?"

In August, Mr. Romney's campaign urged the reported 100% pro-life U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri, Congressman Todd Akin to withdraw from his run for the U.S. Senate after a misstatement about abortion in cases of rape. Although he apologized for his statement, and although many Republicans are now backing Congressman Akin, Governor Romney is still opposing his candidacy.

"Governor Romney's poor pro-life track record, his refusal to sign Personhood USA's presidential pro-life pledge, and now his aggressive opposition to Congressman Akin worries the pro-life movement," stated Garcia Jones. "We expect President Obama to address the issue during the debates, but the real question is about Governor Romney: can he articulate a prolife position that reconciles his stated belief that life begins at conception with his support of aborting children conceived in rape?"

Wednesday's first presidential debate will take place in Denver, Colorado, the heart of the personhood movement, where the Colorado Personhood Coalition is currently suing the Secretary of State to receive a spot on the November ballot.

SOURCE Personhood USA