Stupak Aims to Sink Abortion Compromise

A leaked chain of "frantic" emails shows that an aide to Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) worked with the GOP and pro-life groups to sink a Senate compromise on abortion in the pending health-care bill, Politico reports. Emails show Stupak has been working behind the scenes to oppose the compromise measure, despite refraining from speaking publicly about it. They also show a "previously unseen degree of coordination" between the representative and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office. Stupak heads up a group of antiabortion Democrats who promise to kill the health-care legislation if any government money goes to pay for terminating pregnancies. The compromise allows states to prohibit abortion coverage in a new health-insurance exchange system, but does not totally ban insurance programs that cover the procedure.