The Left vs. Women

How radical has much of the left in New York become? Consider: It’s now wrong to use public funding for a charity that helps pregnant women simply because the group promotes alternatives to abortion.

That’s right: City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Queens) is getting slammed for channeling $24,000 in city funds since 2012 to an anti-abortion crisis-pregnancy center called The Bridge to Life, which supplies cribs, diapers and other donations to pregnant women. (Here you thought the left was in

favor of helping poor women.) “Your anti-choice, anti-woman positions do not reflect the values of New York City’s Democratic voters,” said Alison Tan, who’s vying for Koo’s seat. Does she really put politics above charity? Sure looks that way.

Yes, the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund’s Andrea Miller says public money shouldn’t go to organizations “that lie and manipulate” pregnant women. But while The Bridge to Life says its mission is “to make every effort to save the baby,” its backers deny that it lies.

“If I thought there was anything disingenuous or deceptive or misleading that they were doing, I wouldn’t be giving them funding,” insists Councilman Eric Ulrich (RQueens), who, like Koo, describes himself as pro-choice.

“All I tell [women in need] is you have choices,” says The Bridge To Life’s Virginia Gallo. “I can help you with adoption . . . get you free medical care. It’s not all political.”

Groups like Planned Parenthood get tons of public cash. So why shouldn’t a charity that opposes abortion qualify, too?

Maybe it’s because in New York, the prochoice folks really back only one choice.