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The Susan B. Anthony List, also known as the SBA List, is a 501(c)(4) non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to eliminate abortion in the U.S. by supporting pro-life politicians, primarily women, through its SBA List Candidate Fund political action committee. It has over 280,000 members.

Named for suffragist Susan B. Anthony, SBA List identifies itself with Anthony and several 19th-century women's rights activists; SBA List believes Anthony and other early feminists were opposed to abortion. Regarding Anthony's abortion beliefs, SBA List has been challenged by scholars and pro-choice activists; Anthony scholar Ann D. Gordon and Anthony biographer Lynn Sherr argue that Anthony "spent no time on the politics of abortion."

History

The SBA List grew out of a previously established political action committee which was founded by Jane Abraham and Marjorie Dannenfelser in 1992 after the "Year of the Woman" produced "nothing but pro-abortion women elected to Congress"; there were only two pro-life congresswomen at the time. Dannenfelser had been ardently pro-choice but became pro-life while in college. In 1997 the group was reorganized into its current form as a 501(c)(4) organization with a connected PAC, the SBA List Candidate Fund. Dannenfelser currently serves as president of the organization.

Contributions to the group grew by 50% from 2007 to 2009. As of December 2009, the SBA List had outspent one of its pro-choice counterparts, the National Organization for Women, in every election cycle since 1996.

Former Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave joined the SBA List in March 2009 and works as a project director and spokesperson.

The organization is seen as the pro-life counterpart to EMILY's List.

Susan B. Anthony and early feminist connection

The name of the organization stems from its founders' belief that suffragist Susan B. Anthony was "passionately pro-life". This topic has been subject to a modern-day dispute about Anthony's views on abortion, with pro-choice activists "concerned that their heroine is being appropriated." While Anthony deplored abortion, scholars of 19th-century feminism point out that Anthony did not work against it, and say the quotes SBA List cites are misattributed or taken out of context. Anthony scholar Ann D. Gordon said that Anthony "never voiced an opinion about the sanctity of fetal life ... and she never voiced an opinion about using the power of the state to require that pregnancies be brought to term."

The SBA List also cites other early feminists, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who wrote a letter saying, "When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit." The SBA List notes that Victoria Woodhull, the first female presidential candidate in the U.S., told the Wheeling, West Virginia, Evening Standard newspaper in 1875 that "Every woman knows that if she were free, she would never bear an unwished-for child, nor think of murdering one before its birth." The SBA List refers to a fourth early feminist, Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, who recorded in her diary her thoughts about Madame Restell, an early 19th-century abortionist: "The gross perversion and destruction of motherhood by the abortionist filled me with indignation, and awakened active antagonism. That the honorable term 'female physician' should be exclusively applied to those women who carried on this shocking trade seemed to me a horror. It was an utter degradation of what might and should become a noble position for women." Finally, the organization also cites suffragist Alice Paul, author of the original Equal Rights Amendment, who said, "Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women."

Sarah Palin endorsement

The SBA List gained renewed attention during the 2008 presidential election following Sarah Palin's nomination for Vice President. They had endorsed her 2006 run for governor of Alaska. In 2008, the SBA List also started a social networking site and blog called "Team Sarah", which is "dedicated to advancing the values that Sarah Palin represents in the political process."

Palin headlined the organization's 2010 "Celebration of Life" breakfast fundraiser, an event which got extensive media coverage and in which she coined the term "mama grizzly".

According to Politico, Palin's criteria for endorsing candidates is whether they have the support of the Tea Party movement and whether they have the support of the SBA List.

Activities

Recent advocacy

The organization was involved in trying to keep abortion coverage out of health care reform legislation in 2009 and 2010. It had targeted Senator Bob Casey to ensure abortion was not covered in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and lobbied for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to H.R. 3962 The group criticized Senator Ben Nelson for what it called a fake compromise on abortion in the PPACA and condemned the Christmas Eve passage of the Senate bill.

The group had planned to honor Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) at its March gala, but after Stupak's deal with President Obama in which Obama would issue an executive order banning federal funding for abortion under the bill, Stupak was stripped of his "Defender of Life Award" three days before the gala because of Dannenfelser's doubts, shared by the most prominent pro-life groups, about the effectiveness of the Executive Order. Stupak had told Dannenfelser, "They know I won't fold. There is no way." On the day of the vote, Dannenfelser said she promised Stupak that the SBA List was "going to be involved in your defeat." In a statement, Dannenfelser said, "We were planning to honor Congressman Stupak for his efforts to keep abortion-funding out of health care reform. We will no longer be doing so...Let me be clear: any representative, including Rep. Stupak, who votes for this health care bill can no longer call themselves 'pro-life.'" No one received the award in his place, and Dannenfelser instead used the occasion to condemn Stupak. The group also dropped its plans to help Stupak fend off a primary challenge from Connie Saltonstall, who was running on a pro-choice platform. Stupak later dropped out of the race, announcing his retirement from Congress.

In 2010, the SBA List hosted events featuring prominent pro-life political figures as speakers, including Sarah Palin, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Michele Bachmann.

In August 2010, to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, the SBA List held a colloquium at the Yale Club of New York City, billed as "A Conversation on Pro-Life Feminism". The event featured a panel of five scholars in the fields of law, philosophy, history, political science and sociology, who discussed various concepts of feminism and the possibility of broadening the spectrum of pro-life political candidates to include those with more centrist fiscal views.

An SBA List project, "Votes Have Consequences", was headed by former Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave and was aimed at defeating vulnerable candidates in 2010 who did not vote pro-life on key issues, such as health care reform. Under this project, the group endorsed Dan Coats of Indiana for Senate against Rep. Brad Ellsworth, who had voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

In January 2011, along with Americans for Tax Reform and The Daily Caller, the organization sponsored a debate between candidates for chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Peter Roff writing for U.S. News and World Report credited the SBA List for the passage in the House of an amendment to defund Planned Parenthood of federal dollars for fiscal year 2011.

In March 2011, the SBA List teamed with Live Action for a bus tour through 13 congressional districts either thanking or condemning their representatives for their votes to defund Planned Parenthood of tax dollars in the Pence Amendment. In response, Planned Parenthood launched its own tour to follow the SBA List bus. The SBA List also bought $200,000 in radio and television ads backing six Republicans who voted to defund Planned Parenthood in response to a $200,000 ad buy by Planned Parenthood against the Pence Amendment.

In July 2011, the SBA List held a rally in New Hampshire supporting the New Hampshire Executive Council's decision to cut off state funding for Planned Parenthood. Spokeswoman Marilyn Musgrave said the Council's decision "really will save unborn lives."

Elections

The SBA List Candidate Fund endorses pro-life women, and pro-life men running against pro-choice women.

2009 elections

In September 2009, in a special election to fill an empty House seat in upstate New York, the group endorsed the pro-life third-party Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman over the pro-choice Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, on the stated basis that Scozzafava was an "abortion radical who does not represent the views of the growing majority of pro-life American women." The SBA List joined forces with the National Organization for Marriage in support of Hoffman, spending over $100,000 printing literature, making phone calls, and flooding the district with volunteers from across the country.

2010 elections

For the 2010 elections, the SBA List planned to spend $6 million (including $3 million solely on U.S. Senate races) and endorsed several dozen candidates. The SBA List spent nearly $1.7 million on independent expenditure campaigns for or against 50 candidates.

The SBA List conducted a 23-city bus tour to the Congressional districts of self-described pro-life Democrats in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania who voted for the health care reform bill and to rally supporters to vote them out. The bus tour attracted counterprotests at some stops, such as one in Pennsylvania where a group called Catholics United accused the SBA List of lying about health care reform. Emily Buchanan of the SBA List responded by noting that Catholics United accepted funds from liberal philanthropist George Soros, a non-Catholic.

The organization launched a "Life Speaking Out" petition to urge the Republican Party to include opposition to abortion in its Pledge to America. The petition was sent with over 20,000 signatures on it.

The organization especially focused on the California Senate race where Carly Fiorina challenged incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer. The group gave $200,000 to Fiorina's campaign during the Republican primary and expected to give another $1 million for the general election campaign against Boxer. The SBA List partnered with the National Organization for Marriage to air Spanish language TV commercials attacking Boxer's positions on abortion and gay marriage. The two groups bought $200,000 worth of airtime for the commercial to air in the markets of Los Angeles, Fresno, and San Diego. However, Boxer prevailed over Fiorina in the November 2010 election.

Other notable endorsements included Sharron Angle, who unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada; the SBA List endorsed Angle despite having previously endorsed Angle's primary opponent, Sue Lowden. In September 2010, the SBA List launched a $150,000 campaign on behalf of New Hampshire Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte for the Republican primary. Ayotte won the primary to become the nominee, and later prevailed in the general election. In October 2010, the SBA List endorsed Joe Miller, Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Alaska. The SBA List endorsed Miller after Sen. Lisa Murkowski decided to stage a write-in campaign after losing the Republican primary to Miller, and they launched a $10,000 radio campaign to air ads attacking Murkowski for turning a "deaf ear" to the will of voters who voted her out in the primary. Murkowski defeated Miller, who conceded after two months of court battles over contested ballots.

36 of SBA List's 2010 endorsed candidates were elected.

2012 presidential election

In June 2011, the SBA List unveiled a pro-life pledge for 2012 Republican presidential candidates in which signers commit to appointing only pro-life judicial nominees and cabinet members, preventing taxpayer funding of abortion, and supporting legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the fetal pain concept. Candidates Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Thaddeus McCotter, and Ron Paul all signed the pledge, but Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman, Jr., Herman Cain, and Gary Johnson declined. Romney's refusal (he said the pledge might have "unintended consequences") sparked heated criticism from the SBA List, some of the other candidates, and political observers given Romney's past support for legalized abortion. Huntsman said he would not sign any pledges from political groups during the campaign. and was criticized by the SBA List as well. Cain said he agreed with the first three parts, but objected to the wording in the pledge which said he would have to "advance" the fetal pain bill; he said he would sign it but Congress would have to advance it. Johnson declined because he is pro-choice.

The SBA List is set to embark on a Values Voter Bus Tour in Iowa with the Family Research Council and National Organization for Marriage from August 9-12, 2011, ending the day before the critical Iowa Straw Poll. The tour will visit 22 cities and be joined by Pawlenty, Bachmann, and Santorum as well as Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Reps. Steve King and Louie Gohmert, among other "state and national leaders".

Driehaus billboard lawsuits

In the 2010 campaign, the organization purchased billboard advertisements in the district of Rep. Steve Driehaus of Ohio that showed a photo of Driehaus and said, "Shame on Steve Driehaus! Driehaus voted FOR taxpayer-funded abortion" The advertisement referred to Driehaus's vote in favor of the health care overhaul bill. The SBA List, along with every major pro-life organization, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Congressional Research Service, takes the position that the health care legislation allows for taxpayer-funded abortion. In response, Driehaus, who represented the heavily pro-life 1st congressional district of Ohio, filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission (OEC), stating that the advertisements were false and violated Ohio election law. The OEC ruled in Driehaus' favor in a probable cause hearing on October 14, 2010. In response, the SBA List asked a federal judge to issue an injunction against the OEC on the grounds that the law at issue stifles free speech. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed an 18-page amicus brief on the SBA List's behalf, arguing that the Ohio law in question is "unconstitutionally vague" and has a "chilling" effect on the SBA List's right to freedom of speech. A federal judge rejected the SBA List's federal lawsuit, allowing Driehaus' OEC complaint to move forward.

After the OEC complaint was filed, the SBA List began airing a radio ad in Driehaus's district in which Dannenfelser stated that the group " not be silenced or intimidated" by Driehaus's legal action. Driehaus was able persuade the billboard company to withdraw the SBA List's advertisement, which was never erected. Driehaus ended up losing his seat to Steve Chabot in the November election. Driehaus then sued the SBA List in a second case on December 3, 2010, accusing the organization of defamation that caused him a "loss of livelihood", arguing that the "First Amendment is not and never has been an invitation to concoct falsehoods aimed at depriving a person of his livelihood." The SBA List countered by stating that the organization would "continue to defend the truth and the right to criticize our elected officials." The SBA List continued seeking to have the law in question overturned; the ACLU joined in the organization's fight against the law.

On August 1, 2011, federal judge Timothy Black threw out the SBA List's challenge to the Ohio law and denied a motion for summary judgment by SBA List in the defamation case, ruling in favor of Driehaus and allowing the defamation case to go forward, by holding that SBA List had actual malice. The next phase of the case is discovery, where Driehaus's attorney Paul DeMarco said "we believe we will find the SBA List either ignored the truth or purposely did not seek it out when making these claims." James Bopp, SBA List's attorney, said, "In order to be defamatory, the speech must obviously be false and cause injury, but it must also be made with actual malice. That’s a legal term that means that the speaker either knew the speech was false and said it anyway, or the speaker recklessly disregarded finding out whether the speech was true or false. That plainly was not the case with the SBA List. They researched Obamacare themselves, and they also read the opinions of other groups that also concluded that Obamacare provided taxpayer funds for abortion services. Yet this court found, in spite of that, and in spite of the fact that their speech is true or at least their protected opinion, that their speech might be defamatory. This ruling means that anybody criticizing a candidate is in danger of a defamation claim." Fox News says the case "could test the bounds of free speech." The SBA List said it would appeal the decision.

See also

• Feminists for Life
• Concerned Women for America

References

1. GuideStar: Susan B. Anthony List non-profit status
2. Stupak 'More Optimistic' Abortion Fight Will End
3. "SBA List Mission: Advancing, Mobilizing and Representing Pro-Life Women". Susan B. Anthony List. 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2010. To accomplish our ultimate goal of ending abortion in this country...
4. Electing - Susan B. Anthony List
5. ^ SBA List History
6. SBA List endorsement process
7. After health care fight, Stupak ponders legacy, future out of public life
8. Lowden Picks Up Key Endorsements in Nevada Senate Race
9. Gordon, Ann D.; Sherr, Lynn (May 21, 2010). "Sarah Palin is no Susan B. Anthony". WashingtonPost.com, "On Faith" blog. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
10. "Woman Who Supported Abortion Rights Experienced Evolution that Changed Her Mind", Washington Post, May 13, 2010
11. "Health Bill Revives Abortion Groups", New York Times, Nov. 24, 2009
12. Under Obama, Abortion Rights Advocates Try To Build Steam
13. Former Rep. Musgrave Takes Job With Susan B. Anthony List
14. Sarah Palin issues a call to action to 'mama grizzlies'
15. ^ "Susan B. Anthony: Pro-life Feminist", Washington Post, May 2010
16. ^ SBA List -- Early Suffragists
17. ^ Stevens, Allison (2006-10-06). "Susan B. Anthony's Abortion Position Spurs Scuffle". Women's eNews. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
18. Desperately Seeking Susan
19. BBC Abortion and the early feminists
20. "Pro-Life Groups Excited John McCain Picks Sarah Palin, Both Oppose Abortion", LifeNews
21. "Team Sarah" website
22. "Palin Hits Campaign Trail for Anti-Abortion Group", CNN, May 14, 2010
23. "Sarah Palin Boosts 'Mom Awakening'", Politico, May 14, 2010]
24. "Sarah Palin Issues a Call to Action to 'Mama Grizzlies'", Washington Post, May 14, 2010
25. "Palin Tells Women's Group Washington Should Beware of 'Mama Grizzlies'", Associated Press, May 14, 2010
26. Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee bid for conservative base
27. "Abortion Foes Aren't Buying Obama's Assurances", Los Angeles Times
28. "The Abortion Hurdle: Can a Pro-Life Dem Bridge the Health Care Divide?" Time
29. "Group Runs Anti-Abortion Ad Against Casey"
30. "Pro-Life Groups Applaud Passage of Stupak Amendment to Stop Abortion Funding", LifeNews
31. "Pro-Life Group Blasts Nelson Compromise", Politico, Dec. 2009
32. "Reaction from Across Political Spectrum to Health Vote", Boston Globe, Dec. 2009
33. ^ "Choice, Life Groups Slam Obama Order on Abortion Funding", Fox News, Mar. 21, 2010
34. "Stupak Award Rescinded", CNN, Mar. 22, 2010
35. "Stupak Stripped of 'Defender of Life' Award He Was to Receive this Week", The Hill
36. ^ Woman who supported abortion rights experienced evolution that changed her mind
37. ^ "Without Stupak, Anti-Abortion Group's Dinner Goes On", New York Times, Mar. 24, 2010
38. Why I Decided to Challenge Bart Stupak in the Democratic Primary
39. Davey, Monica (2010-04-09). "Under Fire for Abortion Deal, Stupak to Retire". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
40. "Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann Headline Anti-Abortion Fundraiser" Politico, March 2010]
41. "Susan B. Anthony Gala" The Hill
42. ^ "Reaching Out to the Woman in the Yellow Sweater", Slate, The XX Factor Blog, Aug. 26, 2010
43. "Susan B. Anthony Revived", Accuracy In Media blog, Sept. 1, 2010
44. "A Conversation on Pro-life Feminism", SBA List website
45. "Musgrave to Pilot Pro-Life Push", Politico, Mar. 2009
46. "Indiana Senate Candidate Dan Coats Gets Pro-Life Backing Over Ellsworth" LifeNews
47. Steele Meets Challengers For GOP Chairmanship
48. House Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood Over Abortion
49. LiveAction, Planned Parenthood Embark On Rival Bus Tours
50. Planned Parenthood, Susan B. Anthony List put up dueling ads
51. ^ N.H. activists laud end of Planned Parentood contract
52. Endorsement criteria at sba-list.org Accessed 2011-08-05.
53. "Club for Growth Backs Hoffman, Too", The Hill
54. The New York 23 hits its tipping point
55. Open Secrets - SBA List 2009 independent expenditures
56. Conservative Loses Upstate House Race in Blow to Right
57. "For GOP Women, 2010 May Not Be Their Year", Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2010
58. Abortion an issue in Senate races
59. Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund: 2010 Endorsed Candidates
60. OpenSecrets.org
61. "Celebrating 'Suffrage to Success': Are All Women Invited to the Party?", Politics Daily, Aug. 8, 2010
62. "Organization to Host Bus Tour", Brazil Times
63. "First Stop for Pro-Life Bus Tour: Cincinnati", Aug. 6, 2010
64. "Catholic Groups Protest SBA List Tour", Politico, Aug. 2010
65. "Bus Tour Opposing Abortion in Health Care Raises Ire of 'Pro-Life' Democrats", LifeNews, Aug. 2010
66. Some Supporters Fret as GOP Readies Agenda
67. Pro-life priority in GOP
68. Abortion activists target GOP
69. Social conservatives confident views will be in new GOP contract
70. "Fiorina Endorsed by Major Anti-Abortion Group in California Senate Race", The Hill
71. "Boxer Tries to Highlight Differences on Abortion", Associated Press
72. Conservatives hit Boxer on marriage, abortion, in Spanish
73. Outside groups appeal to Latinos on Fiorina's behalf
74. Barbara Boxer defeats Carly Fiorina in Senate race
75. Senate Democratic Leader Reid Defeats Angle to Win Re-Election in Nevada
76. "Pro-Life Group Endorses Sue Lowden for Senate", CNN, Mar. 30, 2010
77. "Pro-Life Groups Back Sharron Angle in Nevada After Primary Election Victory", LifeNews
78. SBA List works to boost Ayotte in final stretch
79. New Hampshire election results: Kelly Ayotte wins GOP nod in N.H.
80. Ayotte wins U.S. Senate seat
81. Susan B Anthony List endorses Miller
82. Anti-abortion group backs Miller, targets Sen. Murkowski
83. Miller Ends Fight, Concedes Alaska Race
84. SBA List 2010 Winning Candidates
85. ^ Frontrunner Romney Takes Heat Over Abortion Stance
86. Ron Paul Adviser Criticizes Mitt Romney For Declining Abortion Pledge
87. Michele Bachmann becomes third GOPer to get glittered, blasts Mitt Romney for his abortion policy
88. ^ Susan B. Anthony List keeps up anti-abortion pledge pressure
89. Herman Cain Declines to Sign Pro-Life Pledge
90. ^ Social cons tour Iowa ahead of straw poll
91. Pawlenty, Santorum to join socially conservative bus tour
92. ^ Driehaus sues to stop abortion attacks
93. ^ Driehaus suit against SBA List moves forward
94. ^ Defeated Pro-Life Democrat Driehaus Sues Pro-Life Group
95. ^ Judge: Reform doesn't fund abortion
96. Ohio Democrat files election complaint over pro-life group’s billboard
97. Judge Allows Driehaus Case against Susan B. Anthony List to Move Forward
98. FOX News: SBA List fights for billboards
99. Ohio Democrat files election complaint over pro-life group’s billboard
100. ACLU joins fight over anti-Driehaus billboards
101. ACLU of Ohio Files Amicus Brief on SBA List's Behalf
102. Federal Judge Denies Ohio Election Law Challenge From Susan B. Anthony List
103. SBA List radio ad
104. http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/rep.-driehaus-files-defamation-lawsuit-over-sba-lists-abortion-funding-claims/
105. Battle over Ohio law that targeted anti-abortion ads heats up
106. ^ Driehaus wins abortion billboard battles
107. Order at Justia website. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
108. Judge Allows Ex-Rep to Sue Pro-Life Group Over Campaign Season Criticism

External links

• SBA List official website
• Suzy B, SBA List official blog
• Team Sarah website, an SBA List special project

• Women's political advocacy groups in the United States
• American pro-life organizations
• 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations
• Organizations established in 1992
• Political organizations in the United States