My Position on Abortion

In light of Missouri Right to Life's decision to endorse one of my opponents, there have been questions about where all the candidates stand on the issue of abortion. The Joplin Globe today sent out the following questions to all candidates. I want to share with you my answers to those questions so that you are informed and can pass on my position on the issue of abortion to others.

1. What is your position on abortion?

I oppose abortion except in cases where it is necessary to prevent the death of the mother, in cases of incest committed against a minor, and in cases of forcible rape.

As prosecutor, I defended the 2005 amendment to the abortion law requiring a doctor who is performing abortions to have medical privileges within a thirty mile radius of where the abortion is performed. Greene County was the only county in the state where we had a doctor performing abortions without local medical privileges. In the federal case Springfield Healthcare Center, Inc. v. Darrell L. Moore, case no. 05-4296-CV-C, we filed an answer to uphold the law, met with local doctors, and prepared to defend the law from attacks by out of state Planned Parenthood pro-abortion attorneys. Springfield Healthcare Center and Planned Parenthood saw the obstacles and dismissed the suit.

I would note that Missouri Right to Life sent me a letter last week indicating that while it was endorsing another candidate, I would be listed on their website as a pro-life candidate. That letter (dated June 15, 2010) starts as follows: "Dear Mr. Moore, Thank you for standing up for the sanctity of life. We have recorded you as pro-life in our records and on our website."

Also, my wife and I through the years have supported the Vitae Caring Foundation and the Springfield Pregnancy Care Center. Blye provided the music for years at the Vitae fundraising dinner here in Springfield.

2. What is your position on stem cell research involving embryos?

I support stem cell research based on stem cells harvested from umbilical cord blood and from adult tissue. However, I view anything else as the willful creation and destruction of human life for selfish reasons. Therefore, I oppose what is known as somatic cell nuclear transfer.

3. How did you vote on Amendment 2 in 2006? I voted against it.

In light of my demonstrated and active support of pro-life positions, your guess is as good as mine as to why Missouri Right to Life did not endorse me. I hope that you look not only at my position and experience in this area, but also look at my positions on the other serious issues of the day (e.g., creating jobs, federal fiscal responsibility, reducing the deficit and national debt, real health care reform and a return to a more limited federal government) and see that I am the best candidate to serve you as your next congressman.

Why I Am the Best Candidate

Over the past year, my fellow candidates and I have been asked to answer the question "Why are you the best qualified candidate to be our next Congressman?" This is a question that more and more voters will be asking and seeking the answer to as we enter the last eight weeks before casting their votes in the Republican Primary on August 3^rd.

What I have heard from most of you over the past year is that you desire the following in our next congressman. First, he must be a person who is a focused, dedicated and creative thinker, used to seeking out new solutions to existing problems while remaining true to conservative principles. He needs to be a person with a proven track record of public service- working constructively within the framework of government and with citizens, businesses and nonprofit groups- to tackle the serious issues that confront us. He should also be a person that has demonstrated that he cares not just about holding office or implementing policy, but cares about how his performance in office and the policies pursued actually impact people in a positive way by increasing their personal opportunities, responsibilities, general wellbeing, health and safety.

If those are the qualities you seek in your next congressman, then I am the best person to be nominated as your next congressman. During the past eleven years as the elected prosecutor of Greene County, I have reorganized the office into effective teams prosecuting crime and holding offenders accountable, especially career and dangerous criminals. I have hired quality people to serve the public as prosecutors, investigators, paralegals, secretaries, technicians and supervisors in carrying out the primary mission of the office to be ministers of justice. Working with the Courts, law enforcement and MADD, we established one of the top four DWI (driving while intoxicated) courts in the country, which is reducing recidivism among repeat drunk drivers through a combination of punishment, accountability and treatment. Under my leadership, the office has maintained a high DWI conviction rate- over 98% in the past year. The office partnered with the Victim Center and others in creating Kids Court- which helps children who are victims and/or witnesses of crime to understand, be more familiar with and relaxed in a courtroom environment. We implemented new prevention/intervention/prosecution policies to encourage parents to keep their children in school, joining with the Springfield Public Schools and many nongovernmental organizations to encourage children to have at least a 95% attendance rate and graduate from high school. Why? Because at one time a study indicated that 80% of inmates in the Department of Corrections were truants and did not graduate from high school.

We have partnered with many governmental and nongovernmental organizations in focusing on improving the quality of life of abused and neglected children by prosecuting offenders and pursuing better intervention programs. In the past two years, working with The Center for Dispute Resolution of Missouri State University and others, we started the first Restorative Justice Program in the state of Missouri for adult offenders, and are recognized as a leader in this significant evolution of how some misdemeanor and low level felony property offenders can be handled outside the traditional courtroom norm. Restorative Justice leads to better offender accountability, the opportunity for more victim input on what corrective measures the offender needs to take to make the victim whole, more immediate and meaningful restitution to the victim, and a better understanding by the offender of how his conduct hurt the victim. Studies show that where the restorative justice model is used, offender recidivism is reduced and victim satisfaction increased.

These are just a few examples of how I have fulfilled the responsibilities of my office in a focused, determined and caring manner to improve public safety and health while remaining true to conservative principles.

I have also shown my commitment to improving the quality of life of people through my service on many nonprofit organizations through the years, including the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Ozarks Fighting Back Advisory Board, the Interagency Task Force on Gangs and Youth Violence, the Underage Drinking Task Force and the Ambassadors for Children Advisory Committee of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks. Serving the public, whether as a private citizen or in a public office, is my calling in life.

Please cast your vote for the candidate who has demonstrated through the years the necessary focus, determination, and principled caring creative thinking that is needed to face the challenging issues of our time. I would be honored and humbled to serve as your next congressman.