Trumbull County State
Representataive Glenn Holmes --
a Democrat -- spent the
past couple months at the center
of the debate on Ohio's proposed
Heartbeat
Abortion bill. First he voted
for it -- then -- after Governor
John Kasich's veto --
Holmes voted against it. Earlier
this afternon I talked with
Holmes about why he
changed.
"I DON'T LIKE ABORTION. I'M MORE
PRO LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO
THAT." But says Trumbull County
State
Representative Glenn Holmes --
the law makes abortion legal.
"AND THIS IS THE COUNTRY I LIVE
IN. I RESPECT THE UNITED STATES
OF
AMERICA AND I RESPECT THE
STATE."
This afternoon at his Girard
home -- Holmes explained why --
as a Democrat -- he
broke with his party and on
November 15th -- voted to ban
abortions after a
detectable fetal heartbeat.
"ME VOTING FOR THAT HEARTBEAT
BILL CREATED A SEAT AT THE TABLE
FOR ME. AND I SAID OK...WHO'S
TABLE?...SO THE GOVERNOR'S REP
REACHED OUT TO ME, THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE PUSHING THIS ISSUE
REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID GLENN
WE NEED YOU, ARE YOU
WILLING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE
THINGS AND WE TALKED ABOUT
SOME THINGS." Holmes wants added
to the Heartbeat
Abortion Bill government funded
birth control -- free IUD's,
free condoms --
even free vasectomies -- all
paid for by the state. He also
wants to help babies once
their born -- with more money
going to the Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families
program, adoption services,
foster care, along with medical
and nutritional needs.
He also wants to help fund
Planned Parenthood.
"I THINK WE CAN MAKE INCREMENTAL
STEPS IN SLOWING
DOWN THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS,
SAVING BABIES LIVES, AND THEN IT
TURN LOOKING AT A MORE HOLISTIC
APPROACH TO LIFE."
And that's what he told the
Republicans who supported the
Heartbeat Abortion Bill
-- but he didn't get the
response he wanted.
"ONCE YOU HAD THE SEAT THEY
DIDN'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU?
THAT'S RIGHT AND DISCONCERTING,
DISHEARTENING."
Which is why Holmes decided to
not override the governor's veto
-- and
voted against the bill the
second time. The Heartbeat
Abortion Bill is expected to
come
up again next year.
Governor-elect Mike DeWine has
said he will sign it. But how
will
Glenn Holmes vote?
"UNLESS I HAVE THOSE THINGS IN
PLACE, NO."
Holmes says he was criticized by
Democrats for his first vote on
the Heartbeat
Abortion Bill. But for every
criticism -- he says there were
five people who thanked
him. He says there are pro-life
Democrats out there.
