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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

McKenna calls Koster’s comment on rape “innapropriate”

Rob McKenna, the Republican nominee for governor, has called remarks made by a Republican candidate for Congress in a close race in western Washington “inappropriate.”

John Koster, who is running in the Congressional district that includes Seattle suburbs and Mount Vernon, told a liberal activist this week that abortion should be illegal, including when it involves “that rape thing,” according to a report from The Associated Press.

Answering reporters’ questions after a Republican rally in Spokane, McKenna called the comments “inappropriate.”

“I disagree with him strongly,” said McKenna, who supports abortion rights.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who contributed $1,000 to Koster’s campaign earlier this year, said she wasn’t prepared to offer her thoughts on Koster’s statements.

“I heard second-hand that there was some kind of comment made, and I haven’t heard myself exactly what he said,” she said.

McMorris Rodgers, who was featured with McKenna at the GOP rally in Spokane this morning, has been at the forefront of the national Republican response to accusations from the Democratic Party that Republican policies are harmful to women.

She strongly criticized Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., for controversial remarks that he made earlier this year related to abortion and rape, though she has declined to say if she agreed with Akin that women who are raped are highly unlikely to become pregnant.



Jonathan Brunt
Jonathan Brunt joined The Spokesman-Review in 2004. He is the government editor. He previously was a reporter who covered Spokane City Hall, Spokane County government and public safety.

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