Dirty Campaigns Already, Group sends questionable letter to Mitt Romney

Group sends questionable letter to Mitt Romney
Benjamin Ray, Staff Writer517.437.6014
The letter written to Mitt Romney’s headquarters by Hillsdale College students last week addressing the Republican candidate’s stance on abortion seemed authentic.
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Except it wasn’t written by Hillsdale College students, as the letter claims.
A group called “Vote For Life 2008” wrote the letter and sent it to Hillsdale students asking for their signatures, and then sent the letter on to Romney as if it was written by the nearly 30 students whose names appear on it.
“Vote For Life” is an activist part of the grassroots group “Students for Sam Brownback,” which comprises high school and college students who support the Republican candidate and Kansas senator also in this early running for president.
Hillsdale “Students for Life” president Lynette Wilhelm was not upset to hear the letter was bogus, because she agreed with what was written, which is why she signed it.
“My group was in no way responsible for the letter written to the Romney campaign,” she said. “As of right now, we support no particular presidential candidate.”
The letter came to light May 11, the day before Romney spoke at the college’s graduation. Questions in the letter focused on Romney’s changed stance on abortion — he now is pro–life — and his signing of the Commonwealth Care health care plan as governor of Massachusetts that covered abortions.
Hillsdale “Students for Life” treasurer and sophomore Karen Williams said she condones being listed as an author, although she was not, because she agreed with the letter.
“I would hope Mitt Romney would not support taxpayer–funded abortions,” she said.
E–mails written to leadership at the “Students for Brownback” group were not returned.
Romney has since said he is opposed to the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion and on Saturday spoke from a conservative viewpoint on a number of national and international issues.