The Minnesota Independent

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Abortion bill that redefined rape to be changed by author

By Andy Birkey | 02.03.11 | 11:33 am

A bill that would ban taxpayer funding to clinics that perform abortions — and caused significant controversy over the definition of rape — has been changed by the bill’s author, Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey. The bill is sponsored by Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann, Chip Cravaack and John Kline, as well as DFL Rep. Collin Peterson, among many others. The bill sought to provide exception for incest and “forcible rape,” which opponents said would not cover statutory rape or instances where force could not be proven.

Bachmann riles New Jersey Tea Partiers with robo-calling

By Andy Birkey | 06.08.10 | 8:58 am

Rep. Michele Bachmann is taking heat from New Jersey Tea Partiers for recording robo-calls for the non-Tea Party candidate, Rep. Chris Smith, in that state’s 4th Congressional District. Critics fault Smith for votes on cap and trade, union card…