Washington D.C., Jul 21, 2010 / 15:56 pm
The U.S. government has wrongly taken sides by spending taxpayer money to promote Kenya’s proposed constitution, Rep. Chris Smith is charging. He reports an investigation has found that one well-funded group in 2000 urged the U.S. to support efforts to “eventually legalize abortion in Kenya” by supporting civic organizations.
The exposure of some grantees “may only be a tip of the iceberg,” the congressman claimed, reiterating the possibility that U.S. funding for an effort which would expand legal abortion could violate U.S. law.
Speaking at a Wednesday press conference, Rep. Smith (R-N.J.), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, said that U.S. involvement in the Aug. 4 constitutional referendum should be limited to ensuring the vote on the proposal is “free, fair and without violence.”
“Under no circumstances should the U.S. government take sides by supporting, facilitating and funding projects designed to identify and motivate votes for either side,” he continued. “Yet that is precisely what the Obama Administration has done.”