San Francisco, Calif., Sep 2, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and a wealthy evangelical Christian are the major funders to date of a campaign against a California ballot measure that would fund stem-cell research and cloning in the state, reported The Associated Press.
Each contributed $50,000 this week to separate campaign groups, which have raised $115,000 combined. Ballot measure supporters have raised about $12 million.
The measure, which is listed on the Nov. 2 ballot as Proposition 71, would have the state borrow $3 billion to pay for the controversial research.
"We believe life begins at the moment of conception," said USCCB spokesperson Sr. Mary Ann Walsh. "Stem-cell research involves the taking of a human life."