Anti-Abortion Congressman Reportedly Asks Woman To Get An Abortion

After news that he asked a woman with whom he had an affair to get an abortion, Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Tim Murphy announced he won't seek re-election.  He's a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus. 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Tim Murphy says he will not be running for re-election next year.  This comes after reports that the anti-abortion congressman had asked his mistress to terminate a pregnancy.  Katie Blackley of member station WESA in Pittsburgh reports. 

KATIE BLACKLEY, BYLINE: Local newspapers revealed a series of text messages between Murphy and the woman he was having an affair with in which he asked her to abort their unborn child during a pregnancy scare.  The woman criticized the GOP congressman in the messages saying he had zero issue talking about his anti-abortion position less than a week after asking her to terminate her pregnancy. 

Murphy says in a statement that he'll be taking personal time to seek help.  Earlier this week, Murphy voted to ban nearly all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.  He's a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus and has consistently advocated against using federal funding for abortion services.  In 2010, he told a crowd at the Right to Life Convention in Pittsburgh that he believed every life is important. 

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TIM MURPHY: Every kid deserves a chance to have a choice at life.  Every child deserves a chance to have a choice at life.  Every baby deserves a chance to have a choice at life, and every parent should be supported in their responsibility and commitment to raise that child. 

BLACKLEY: His affair came to light last month when the woman's divorce proceedings were made public.  Although Murphy is not a part of the case, court documents revealed the affair lasted about six months.  A practicing psychologist, Murphy is in his eighth term representing southwestern Pennsylvania, which voted for Donald Trump by a 2-3 margin last year. 

For NPR News, I'm Katie Blackley. 

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