Category Archives: Press Release

Personhood Press Release

Press Release: PERSONHOOD ACT OF SOUTH CAROLINA Introduced in House and Senate

Published by:

PERSONHOOD ACT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

S.217 Introduced in SC Senate January 10, 2017

H.3530 Introduced in SC House January 19, 2017             

PRESS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE:  Friday, January 27, 2017/Revised Feb 10, 2017/Revised Feb 17, 2017

FOR FURTHER INFO:

Contact, Steve Lefemine, exec.dir., Christians for Personhood

PO Box 12222, Columbia, South Carolina  29211; CP@spiritcom.net

Press Release posted at:  http://christiansforpersonhood.com

 

[COLUMBIA, SC] The “Personhood Act of South Carolina” has been introduced once again in the South Carolina General Assembly, in both the SC Senate ( S.217 introduced January 10 ), and the SC House ( H.3530 introduced January 19 ).  The Senate bill was introduced by then-Senator Kevin Bryant, who was elevated to the position of SC Lieutenant Governor Wednesday, January 25, after former Lt Gov Henry McMaster was elevated to the office of SC Governor on January 24 ( following the SC Constitution’s order of succession ) immediately upon former SC Gov Nikki Haley’s resignation after her confirmation by the US Senate to be US Ambassador to the United Nations.  At the present time, the Senate bill ( S.217 ) has 12 Republican co-sponsors in the 46–seat SC Senate, which presently has 27 Republicans and 8 Democrats.  However the House bill ( H.3530 ), introduced by Representative Steven Long, currently has 49 Republican co-sponsors in the 124-seat SC House, which presently has 78 Republicans and 44 Democrats.  Principled pro-life, pro-personhood South Carolinians are asked to visit scstatehouse.gov, contact and ask their SC Senator, especially Republicans, to sign on as co-sponsors of S.217 right away.

Personhood legislation was first introduced in the SC Legislature in 1998, and has been active every year since, over the last 19 years [ History of Personhood Legislation in South Carolina (1998 – 2016) ].  In 2005, a Personhood Act ( H.3213 ) passed the SC House, albeit with a fatal flaw “exception” amendment, before being killed in the SC Senate; and in 2016, a Personhood Constitutional Amendment ( S.719 ) passed a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee in March, and passed the full Senate Judiciary Committee in April, before being defeated on the full Senate floor in a vote for Special Order on May 11, 2016 ( 24 Senators voted Yes for Special Order, 16 Senators voted No, and 2 Senators voted Present, however a 2/3 super-majority was required by SC Senate Rules, and so even though a majority of Senators voted Yes, the motion failed.)

The “Personhood Act of SC” recognizes the Creator God-given, unalienable right to life of every human being as a “person” beginning at fertilization, in the South Carolina Code of Laws. Senate bill S.217 states:

 “The right to life for each born and preborn human being vests at fertilization.” and “The rights  guaranteed by Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of this State [SC], that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of law nor denied the equal protection of the laws, vest at fertilization for each born and preborn human being.”  [ Section 1-1-330, S.217 ]

The State of South Carolina has the power to enact this law pursuant to the power reserved to this State under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. [ Section 1-1-340, S.217 ]

Legal experts defending the constitutionality of States’ Personhood legislation in South Carolina (2001), and Mississippi (2009), and Alabama (2011), and Oklahoma (2012) are posted online here at: www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net.  Go to Item #117 on the “Personhood Act” page.

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  • Click here for a printable version (.pdf)
2016 Elections Candidate Questionnaire Personhood Press Release Republican Presidential Candidate Questionnaire

No Completed Personhood Questionnaires Received from 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates

Published by:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE:   Wednesday, January 27, 2016

FOR FURTHER INFO:  Contact, Steve Lefemine, exec.dir., Christians for Personhood
PO Box 12222, Columbia, South Carolina  29211;  CP@spiritcom.net

Personhood Questionnaire for 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates

Posted at:  http://christiansforpersonhood.com

[COLUMBIA, SC]  Personhood Questionnaires for 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates were initially sent to the campaigns of candidates Bush, Carson, Cruz, Fiorina, Huckabee, Paul, Rubio, and Trump on December 17, 2015; and questionnaires were initially sent to the campaigns of candidates Christie, Kasich, Santorum on December 22, 2015.


Between December 17/22, 2015 and January 26, 2016, several attempts were made to contact each campaign by e-mail and by regular postal mail.


Although contacts/replies of some sort were received from the Bush, Christie, and Huckabee campaigns ( see below ), no completed Personhood Questionnaires have been received from any of these eleven 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates.

The Personhood Questionnaire for 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates sent to each individual candidate can be viewed on-line:

1.  Jeb Bush

2.  Ben Carson

3.  Chris Christie

4.  Ted Cruz

5.  Carly Fiorina

6.  Mike Huckabee

7.  John Kasich

8.  Rand Paul

9.  Marco Rubio

10.  Rick Santorum

11.  Donald Trump

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_________________________________

Replies/Contacts from Bush, Christie, Huckabee campaigns:

1. Bush Campaign – Bush Campaign worker passed along reminder request for completion of Personhood Questionnaire for 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates, however completed questionnaire has not been received.

________________________________

2. Christie campaign – Christie Campaign worker reply included Governor Chris Christie’s position on a number of incremental measures regulating child-murder-by-“abortion”, but despite the assertion by the Christie campaign worker indicating to the contrary,  did not complete the questions specifically asked in the Personhood Questionnaire for 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates.  Nothing in the response from the Governor Chris Christie campaign indicates Governor Christie supports legal Personhood at fertilization for pre-birth human beings without any “exceptions”.  Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood.

Response from Governor Chris Christie campaign:

[ edited, comments added ]

Below please find Governor Chris Christie’s responses to the “Christians for Personhood Questionnaire.”

Thank you,
[ Christie campaign worker ]

CHRISTIE: “I am pro-life. Hearing the strong heartbeat of my unborn daughter 14 years ago at 13 weeks gestation had a profound effect on me and my beliefs. The life of every human being is precious.”
(Christie For New Jersey Campaign Website, ChristieForNJ.com, “Issues,” 7/21/09)

CHRISTIE: “What happened was I had been pro-choice before that and I would call myself before that a kind of a non-thinking pro-choice person, kind of the default position that I took and then when my wife was pregnant with our daughter Sarah who is now fifteen, we happened to go to one of the prenatal visits at thirteen weeks. And they put the Doppler on my wife’s abdomen who didn’t look at all pregnant at that point, visibly, and we heard this incredibly strong heartbeat. I remember we came separately, she came from her job and I came from mine, we went back to work. As I was driving back to work I said to myself you know, under my position on abortion I would say that a week ago that wasn’t a life. I heard that heartbeat, that’s a life. It led to me having a real reflection on my position and when I took time to reflect on it I just said you know what? I’m not comfortable with that anymore, that was back in 1995, and I’ve been pro-life ever since.” (CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight,” 6/14/11)

***

The Christie Record …

Protecting Life [ Christians Personhood –sic– Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

______________________________

As both a candidate and as Governor in one of the most heavily-Democratic states in the nation, Governor Christie has stood by his principles and strongly defended the rights of the unborn.  [ Christians Personhood –sic– Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

* The first pro-life candidate elected statewide since Roe Vs. Wade  [ Christians Personhood –sic– Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

* Vetoing funding for Planned Parenthood every year in office
     * Christie supports defunding Planned Parenthood on the federal level as well

* Supporting ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy  [ Christians Personhood –sic– Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

* Supporting Parental Notification and a 24-Hour Waiting Period  [ Christians Personhood –sic– Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

______________________________

* The First Pro-Life Candidate Elected Statewide Since Roe Vs. Wade: Governor Christie: “And when they said it could never be done, now twice – twice, for the first time since Roe vs. WWade, New Jersey has elected a pro-life governor of New Jersey.”
 [ Christians Personhood – sic – Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

* Vetoing Funding For Planned Parenthood Every Year In Office: Each year since taking office, Governor Christie has vetoed $7.5 million for Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics.

* Governor Christie has also called on the federal government to defund Planned Parenthood and called for a Justice Department investigation into the organization.

* Supporting 20 Week Ban: Governor Christie has voiced support for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.  [ Christians Personhood – sic – Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

* The First New Jersey Governor To Address A Pro-Life Rally: Christie was the first New Jersey governor to address New Jersey Right To Life at their annual rally on the steps of the New Jersey Statehouse.  [ Christians Personhood – Does New Jersey Right to Life support Personhood for pre-birth human beings, at fertilization, with no “exception” ?  Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

* Supporting Parental Notification And A 24-Hour Waiting Period: Governor Christie has called for requiring parental notification before minors could get an abortion, saying it should be “something we can agree on, Republicans and Democrats.” Governor Christie also supports a 24-hour waiting period, stating it “makes sense when someone’s making as difficult a decision as terminating a pregnancy. …”
[ Christians Personhood – sic – Pro-Life is Pro-Personhood. ]

___________________________________

3.  Huckabee campaign – Steve Lefemine, exec. dir., Christians for Personhood personally met (briefly) Governor Mike Huckabee after one of his South Carolina speaking engagements in a “meet and greet” receiving line and brought up the Personhood Questionnaire for 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates.  Governor Huckabee instructed Steve Lefemine to give the questionnaire to the person who is his SC campaign State Director who was there present with him.  This was done, however completed questionnaire has not been received.

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Christians for Personhood:

The standard for identifying whether or not a candidate is “Pro-Life” is whether or not the candidate commits to support the legal Personhood of pre-birth human beings IN LAW, at fertilization (conception), and that without “exceptions”, because God’s Word says, “Thou shalt not kill ( murder ).”  Exodus 20:13, KJV.

Being “Pro-Life” is agreeing with God regarding the Sanctity of Human Life which He created.

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Personhood Press Release South Carolina Pastors Alliance

Personhood Amendment Supported by SC Pastors Alliance at SC State House News Conference – June 2, 2015 (Video/Audio/Photos)

Published by:

“The South Carolina Pastors Alliance, a network of over 500 pastors united together to influence public policy in matters of faith, family and freedom, is sponsoring and supporting an amendment to the SC State Constitution entitled “Personhood”. This amendment will define when life begins and seeks to acknowledge and protect the constitutional and human rights of those pre-born South Carolinians.”

SC Pastors Alliance Press Release, for State House News Conference, June 2, 2015

Dr. Kevin Baird

Dr. Kevin Baird, Executive Director SC Pastors Alliance ( SCPA ) and incoming Director of the National Association of Pastors Alliances at the podium, standing with other supporters of SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment (S.719, H .4093), including other South Carolina pastors, SC Senators, SC Representatives, and Christian pro-life leaders.

– SC State House, Second Floor Lobby ( Between Chambers of SC Senate and SC House of Representatives ), Columbia, South Carolina, news conference commencing prior to beginning of 12:00 noon Senate and House Sessions on Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Source: https://twitter.com/shelliadamczyk ( WACH FOX Reporter/Multi-Media Journalist ) [enlarged copied version reduced 75%]

____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Video: 2:18 min

wachfox

SC Pastors Alliance supporting abortion amendment
by Shelli Adamczyk
Posted: 06.02.2015 at 6:19 PM
http://www.wach.com/news/story.aspx?id=1212712#.VXBh6s9Vikp

____________________________________________

Full length Audio (only): 13:53 min

(Audio) SC Pastors Alliance news conference – SC State House, Columbia, SC – June 2, 2015
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/DS_20582.WMA

____________________________________________
____________________________________________

SC Pastors Alliance State House News Conference pre-event Press Release:

sc pastors alliance logo

South Carolina Pastors Alliance

May 30 at 5:21pm · Edited ·

____________________________________________
____________________________________________

spca

https://www.facebook.com/cwochurch

https://www.facebook.com/cwochurch/photos/a.233572203470356.1073741829.233416386819271/446930082134566/?type=1&theater

Download and read the complete report (pdf) by Steve Lefemine, exec. dir. of Christians for Personhood here:

http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2015-06-04-Personhood-Amendment-Supported-by-SC-Pastors-Alliance-at-SC-State-House-News-Conference-June-2-2015.pdf

Constitutional Amendment House Companion Bill Personhood Press Release

Press Release: SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment (H. 4093 Introduced)

Published by:

SC PERSONHOOD CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

H.4093 Introduced in SC House April 29, 2015, Companion to S.719

PRESS RELEASE
FOR RELEASE:  Thursday, April 30, 2015

FOR FURTHER INFO:Contact, Steve Lefemine, exec.dir., Christians for Personhood

Press Release posted at: http://christiansforpersonhood.com
PO Box 12222, Columbia, South Carolina  29211; CP@spiritcom.net

[COLUMBIA, SC]  The SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment ( H.4093 ) was introduced in the SC House April 29, sponsored by Rep. Bill Chumley ( R-Gvl/Spart ).  This year is the first session of the SC General Assembly in which personhood constitutional amendment legislation has been filed in SC.  H.4093 is a Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the SC Constitution which must first be passed by 2/3 of the SC Legislators in both the House and the Senate, in order to allow SC citizens the opportunity to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on this question on the November 2016 ballot:

“Must Article I of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to add Section 3.a. to provide that the privileges and immunities of citizens of South Carolina and the United States shall not be abridged, so that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws. These rights shall extend to both born and preborn persons beginning at conception?”

SC Legislators have had their opportunity to protect the unborn for the past 17 years, during which Personhood Bills have been active in the SC Legislature each and every year ( 1998 – 2015 ).  However, they have failed to do their God-given ( Romans 13:1-4, KJV ), Oath-sworn duty, to “establish Justice” ( Preamble, United States Constitution ).

It is time to let the people vote.  The headline of a notice by Voice of the Unborn about a personhood constitutional amendment, published in The Times Examiner ( Greenville, SC ), April 15, 2015, stated it clearly:  LET US VOTE!

Glory to God, He has already decided.  God says: “Thou shalt not kill ( murder ).”  Exodus 20:13, KJV.  Amen !

Voters in the June 2014 Republican Primary have already approved a personhood constitutional amendment, which won by more than 78% overall in the 45 SC counties in which it appeared on the Official Ballot as Advisory Question #1.  Praise God !  Except for the removal of one hyphen in the word ‘pre-born’, the SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment ( H.4093 ) introduced today, is exactly, word for word, identically verbatim to what the Republican Primary voters already approved by more than 78% in June 2014.  So we are calling on SC Legislators, not only to let the people vote, but to let the people vote on what over 240,000 Republican Primary voters have already shown by their votes they believe !!!

Christians among America’s forefathers rendered the historic battle–cry “No King but King Jesus!”. [ 1 Tim. 6:15, KJV. ] Beginning in the American Revolutionary period, 240 years ago, William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England were used for perhaps a century or more ( including at times during the 1867-1877 period at USC Law School in Columbia, SC ) to instruct America’s lawyers. Blackstone wrote: “Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws; that is to say, no human laws should be suffered to contradict these. … To instance in the case of murder: this is expressly forbidden by the divine, and demonstrably by the natural law; and, from these prohibitions, arises the true unlawfulness of this crime. … Nay, if any human law should allow or injoin us to commit it, we are bound to transgress that human law,…”  Blackstone sourced the revealed or divine law thusly, “The doctrines thus delivered we call the revealed or divine law, and they are to be found only in the holy scriptures.” (i.e., the Bible)  [ Introduction. Section II. OF THE NATURE OF LAWS IN GENERAL, p.28, ( pub’d ) 1863 ]

With H.4093 introduced, next is assignment to a SC House Judiciary Subcommittee, most likely Constitutional Laws, for a public hearing and passage.  Call, write, e-mail, visit Rep. Greg Delleney ( R-Chester/York ), Chairman of the SC House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Bruce Bannister ( R-Greenville ), Chairman of the Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee, and ask them both for a public hearing and passage of H.4093.  Contact Rep. Greg Delleney in Columbia: 512 Blatt Bldg, Columbia, SC 29201 / 803-734-3120; and in Chester: PO Drawer 808, Chester, SC 29706 / Home 803-385-3580.  Contact Rep. Bruce Bannister in Columbia: 518B Blatt Bldg, Columbia, SC 29201 / 803-734-3138; and in Greenville:  PO Box 10007, Greenville, SC 29603 / Home 864-676-9250.

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Constitutional Amendment Personhood Press Release

Press Release: SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment

Published by:

S.719 Introduced in SC Senate April 28, 2015

PRESS RELEASE FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 28, 2015
FOR FURTHER INFO: Contact, Steve Lefemine, exec.dir., Christians for Personhood
Press Release posted at: http://christiansforpersonhood.com
PO Box 12222, Columbia, South Carolina 29211; CP@spiritcom.net

[COLUMBIA, SC] The SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment ( S.719 ) was introduced in the SC Senate today, sponsored by Senator Lee Bright ( R-Gvl/Spart ). This year is the first session of the SC General Assembly in which personhood constitutional amendment legislation has been filed in SC. S.719 is a Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the SC Constitution which must first be passed by 2/3 of the SC Legislators in both the Senate and the House, in order to allow SC citizens the opportunity to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on this question on the November 2016 ballot:

“Must Article I of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to add Section 3.a. to provide that the privileges and immunities of citizens of South Carolina and the United States shall not be abridged, so that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws. These rights shall extend to both born and preborn persons beginning at conception?”

SC Legislators have had their opportunity to protect the unborn for the past 17 years, during which Personhood Bills have been active in the SC Legislature each and every year ( 1998 – 2015 ). However, they have failed to do their God-given ( Romans 13:1-4, KJV ), Oath-sworn duty, to “establish Justice” (Preamble, United States Constitution). It is time to let the people vote. The headline of a notice by Voice of the Unborn about a personhood constitutional amendment, published in The Times Examiner ( Greenville, SC ), April 15, 2015, stated it clearly: LET US VOTE!

Glory to God, He has already decided. God says: “Thou shalt not kill (murder).” Exodus 20:13, KJV. Amen !

Voters in the June 2014 Republican Primary have already approved a personhood constitutional amendment, which won by more than 78% overall in the 45 SC counties in which it appeared on the Official Ballot as Advisory Question #1. Praise God ! Except for the removal of one hyphen in the word ‘pre-born’, the SC Personhood Constitutional Amendment ( S.719 ) introduced today, is exactly, word for word, identically verbatim to what the Republican Primary voters already approved by more than 78% in June 2014.

So we are calling on SC Legislators, not only to let the people vote, but to let the people vote on what over 240,000 Republican Primary voters have already shown by their votes they believe !!!

Christians among America’s forefathers rendered the historic battle-cry “No King but King Jesus!”. [ 1 Tim. 6:15, KJV. ] Beginning in the American Revolutionary period, 240 years ago, William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England were used for perhaps a century or more ( including at times during the 1867-1877 period at USC Law School in Columbia, SC ) to instruct America’s lawyers. Blackstone wrote: “Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws; that is to say, no human laws should be suffered to contradict these. … To instance in the case of murder: this is expressly forbidden by the divine, and demonstrably by the natural law; and, from these prohibitions, arises the true unlawfulness of this crime. … Nay, if any human law should allow or injoin us to commit it, we are bound to transgress that human law,…” Blackstone sourced the revealed or divine law thusly, “The doctrines thus delivered we call the revealed or divine law, and they are to be found only in the holy scriptures.” (i.e., the Bible) [ Introduction. Section II. OF THE NATURE OF LAWS IN GENERAL, p.28, ( pub’d ) 1863 ]

Now that S.719 is introduced, next is assignment to a SC Senate Judiciary Subcommittee for a public hearing and passage. Call, write, e-mail, visit Senator Larry Martin ( R-Pickens ), Chairman of the SC Senate Judiciary Committee. Ask him to promptly assign S.719 to a favorable Subcommittee. Contact Senator Larry Martin in Columbia: PO Box 142, Columbia, SC 29202 / 803-212-6610; and in Pickens: PO Box 247, Pickens, SC 29671 / Home 864-878-6105.
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