Simon Addresses Abortion Issue

Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon Jr., an abortion foe, pledged Friday to name both opponents and supporters of abortion rights as judges and said he would impose no litmus test on appointees.

“I am pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest and where the life of the mother is threatened, but I understand that not everyone agrees with me on this subject,” Simon told 1,200 women at a breakfast in downtown Los Angeles.

Simon promised that he would uphold all legal and constitutional “protections of reproductive freedom.”

“A governor does not and should not have the power to pick and choose the laws that will be enforced and the rights that will be recognized,” he said.

Although he left some key questions unanswered, Simon’s remarks were the first significant step he has taken since the March 5 GOP primary to broaden his appeal beyond his conservative Republican base. His opposition to abortion rights has been a key focus of Gov. Gray Davis’ reelection campaign.

In a state where roughly two out of three voters support abortion rights, Davis has used the issue to cast Simon as out of step with the California mainstream.

Simon, in turn, has largely dodged the subject, saying he would rather talk about education, the state budget and California’s infrastructure. But at the Bonaventure Hotel breakfast on Friday, Simon abruptly shifted course and said he welcomed the chance to talk about “reproductive freedom.”

“It’s a topic that needs to be addressed,” he told members of The Women’s TownHall, a nonpartisan coalition of women’s groups. “It’s a topic that’s all about respect. It’s all about control.”

Simon also addressed concerns raised by Planned Parenthood and other advocacy groups that he might appoint state judges who would roll back abortion rights.

“I do not support any litmus test for the appointment of judges to the state courts,” he said. “I will appoint only the most qualified jurists. Some I’m sure will be pro-choice, some I’m sure will be pro-life, but I know one thing, they will be all good judges.”

He called on Californians “to rise above the rancor and rhetoric so we can all respect each other’s points of view” on abortion. But Simon declined to say whether he would sign any legislation to curb abortion rights.

“I will uphold the law, and I will not be an activist governor when it comes to abortion,” he said.

Asked whether he would maintain state spending on contraception and other family planning services, Simon said he believes the state Constitution ensures such spending.

But Laurie Beijen, who heads the California Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League’s political committee, recalled that former Republican Gov. George Deukmejian slashed spending on the state Office of Family Planning. Beijen said the league, which has endorsed Davis, would not trust Simon to protect abortion rights.

“Upholding the law is all well and good, but is he going to advocate for making the law stronger, or is he going to unravel the gains that we’ve made?” she asked. “My guess is that he would sign laws that were in line with his views.”

Davis was scheduled to speak to the same group later in the day, but bowed out because of a carpenters’ union protest outside the hotel. Several dozen union members carrying picket signs were challenging the wage rates of a contractor remodeling rooms at the Bonaventure.

“Gov. Davis doesn’t cross picket lines,” said Gabriel Sanchez, a spokesman for the Davis reelection campaign.

On abortion, Sanchez cited seven bills Davis has signed to enhance abortion rights. He cited endorsements of Davis by Planned Parenthood and the abortion rights league and said Simon is backed by the California branch of the national Right to Life group.

“I’ll let those endorsements speak for themselves,” he said.

Simon made the most of the governor’s absence at the breakfast.

“He says he cares about women, but apparently not enough to defy his big union contributors and be here today,” he told the crowd, which burst into cheers.

Simon also said less than 30% of the people Davis has appointed to key positions in his administration were women. Simon, whose own record on women appointees came under attack in the GOP primary, said his “target” would be 50%.

Davis aides said Simon was only counting Davis appointees confirmed by the Senate. They said 34% of the judges appointed by Davis were women--up from 25% under his GOP predecessor, Pete Wilson--and 40% of the governor’s other appointees were women.

“If he’s so concerned about women, why is it he never appointed women to senior management positions in any of his businesses?” Sanchez asked. “Why didn’t he appoint women to any senior positions in his primary campaign?”