Idaho Falls, ID – An amicus brief on a Mississippi abortion law banning abortions after 15 weeks was filed in July 2021 by a large coalition of interested parties, urging the Supreme Court to recognize state government as the proper level of authority to settle controversy on that matter.
Over 200 members of Congress signed onto the brief and even the state of Idaho. Mike Simpson was not among those signers.
This is still significant because even after three months since the brief was signed by the rest of the Idaho congressional delegation signed the brief, Simpson has yet to join them.
Significantly, Simpson’s credibility as a genuine conservative on abortion issues has been in question for a long time. He earned opposition from the conservative community as early as 1990 when he failed to support key legislation against abortion.
And again, in 1998 the pro-life community sounded the alarm against Simpson, after he had caused the failure of a pro-life bill he was supposed to be supporting.
“We can’t keep dropping the ball like this. Idaho believes that the pro-life issue is important – which is why we signed the brief as a state. Where is Mike Simpson on this? He’s not in the fight for Idaho’s values. He is just going along to get along. He’s being complacent at a time when we can’t afford complacency, which is why I’m running for the Second Congressional District. I’ll be a strong voice for Idaho’s true values, and I will fight for the pro-life issues in Congress and in the courts. Idaho deserves better,” said Bryan Smith.
Sources:
“He joined the Christian Coalition on a parental-consent abortion bill this year that didn’t get anywhere. Since then, national and local Christian Coalition and Idaho Family Forum supporters have turned against him. In 1997, he was the Family Forum’s Man of the Year. Now, one year later, Christian right organizations are spending money in advertisements against him and writing letters opposing his candidacy.” (Bold emphasis added.) (Idaho Falls Post-Register, 5/23/1998)
“Simpson says he is pro-life but opposed the 1990 bill because it was unconstitutional. The only eastern Idaho Republican to vote against the bill, Simpson disagrees with those say he should have let the court decide its constitutionality.” (Idaho Falls Post Register, 5/23/1998)
