Catholic World News News Feature

3 members of Review Board support Kerry October 08, 2004

Three of the 12 members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' National Review Board (NRB) have donated to Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign, according to records released by the Federal Election Commission.

A year before joining the board, one of the three, New York attorney Pamela D. Hayes, contributed to Emily's List, a political action committee whose sole purpose is to elect pro-abortion women candidates.

NRB member Robert S. Bennett, an attorney with the Washington law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, has donated $7,000 to the Kerry campaign:

$1,000 to John Kerry for President, Inc. (gift recorded on July 18, 2003)

$1,000 to John Kerry for President, Inc. (October 23, 2003)

$5,000 to Kerry Victory 2004 (July 13, 2004)

Since June 14, 2002, when Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, appointed him one of the four core NRB members, Bennett has made two other $250+ federal campaign contributions, both to pro-abortion candidates:

$500 to Herseth for Congress (December 20, 2003); Stephanie Herseth is a South Dakota candidate endorsed by Emily's List

$500 to A Lot of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Inc. (January 8, 2004); Senator Daschle (D-SD), according to WeVoteProLife.com, has a 0% pro-life voting record

NRB member Pamela D. Hayes, who gave $250 to Emily's List in 2001, has donated $2,000 to John Kerry for President, Inc. (April 27, 2004). Since Bishop Gregory appointed her to the National Review Board on July 24, 2002, Hayes has also made the following gifts to pro-abortion Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton:

$250 to Friends of Hillary (August 24, 2003)

$250 to Friends of Hillary (May 25, 2004; refunded June 30, 2004)

Hayes has also given $250 to HILLPAC, a political action committee whose honorary chair is Senator Clinton (January 20, 2003).

Leon E. Panetta, President Clinton's chief of staff from 1994 to 1997, has given $1,000 to John Kerry for President, Inc. (April 13, 2004). Since Bishop Gregory appointed him to the National Review Board on July 24, 2002, Pannetta has made the following $250+ federal election contributions:

$500 to Gephardt for President, Inc. (August 27, 2003); Richard Gephardt (D-MO) was a pro-abortion presidential candidate

$500 to Murtha for Congress Committee (March 17, 2004); John Murtha (D-PA), according to WeVoteProLife.com, is pro-life

$250 to Friends of Farr (June 22, 2004); Sam Farr (D-CA), according to WeVoteProLife.com, has a 0% pro-life voting record

$250 to Barbieri for Congress (August 25, 2004); according to a newspaper article reprinted on Washington Democratic candidate Donald Barbieri's Web site, "As a Catholic, I'm personally against abortion, but I am pro-choice. Government doesn't have the right to interfere with a woman's right to take control of her future and make her own decision."

One National Review Board member -- Ray H. Siegfried II, chairman of the board of The NORDAM Group, an aviation company -- has donated to President Bush's reelection campaign. He gave $1,000 to Bush-Cheney '04 (Primary) Inc. (April 1, 2004). Since Bishop Gregory appointed him to the National Review Board on July 24, 2002, Siegfried has also donated to the following candidates:

$1,000 to Cole for Congress (July 26, 2002); Tom Cole (R-OK), according to WeVoteProLife.com, has a 100% pro-life voting record

$1,000 to Sullivan for Congress (May 29, 2003); John Sullivan (R-OK), according to WeVoteProLife.com, has a 100% pro-life voting record

$1,000 to Friends of Cole (August 6, 2003)

$2,000 to Humphreys for Senate Inc. (March 11, 2004); Kirk Humphreys was a pro-life candidate in the Oklahoma Senate primary race