Romney Refuses Pro-life Pledge

The Huffington Post reports:

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has refused to sign a pledge being circulated by a pro-life group, citing concerns with the language used in the pact.

Romney, a spokeswoman said, is concerned that the pact could block some federal funding from going to hospitals and would restrict his ability to appoint Cabinet members in his administration.

"Governor Romney pledged in the last campaign that he would be a pro-life president and of course he pledges it today. However, this well-intentioned effort has some potentially unforeseen consequences and he does not feel he could in good conscience sign it," Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul told The Huffington Post.

Romney is one of three Republican candidates who has declined to sign the pledge, which is sponsored by the Susan B. Anthony List, a Washington-based pro-life advocacy group. Candidates who signed the pledge have promised to nominate to the Supreme Court and federal courts only judges "who are committed to restraint and applying the original meaning of the Constitution, not legislating from the bench."

Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson are the other two candidates who have refused to sign the pledge. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) have all signed it.