Candidate says he doesn't favor jailing women for having abortion

Republican state senate candidate Dan Duffy contends a political action committee is distorting his views on abortion in a campaign mailer sent on behalf of his Democratic opponent, Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes.

Personal PAC, a statewide abortion-rights group, has sent the slick brochure to residents in Senate District 26 where Gentes and Duffy are running for an open seat in the Nov. 4 election. The district covers parts of Lake, McHenry and Cook counties.

Duffy said Illinois Republican Party lawyers have sent a letter asking Personal PAC to halt its direct advertising because of the false statements on his abortion stance.

Under the headline "Dan Duffy Wants to Put Illinois Women Behind Bars," the literature states he favors criminalizing abortion in the state and opposes the procedure in cases of rape and incest.

Images of women in jail are sprinkled throughout the piece.

Duffy, 42, of Lake Barrington, said he's not against abortion for rape and incest victims, unlike what's stated in the Personal PAC mailer. He said he opposes government funding of abortions and backs parental notification.

"I would never in a million years want a woman put in jail for having an abortion," Duffy said Friday.

But Personal PAC's president and chief executive officer, Terry Cosgrove, stands by the direct advertising and said it's fair. He said Duffy never returned a Personal PAC questionnaire that highlighted the consequences of inaction.

"Lack of receipt by Personal PAC of our completed questionnaire will result in our assuming that you are in opposition to ALL our positions on reproductive matters," says a letter from Cosgrove to political candidates.

Cosgrove said one question asked if candidates favor changing Illinois law to criminalize abortion except to prevent a woman's death, which his group opposes. He said Duffy had more than one opportunity to answer.

"It couldn't have been more clear to him," Cosgrove said. "I sent it to him through registered mail because he's so untrustworthy."

Duffy said he elected to not reply to Personal PAC for a reason.

"It's an extreme radical organization," he said. "You get hundreds of questionnaires from groups. You can't respond to all of them."

Meanwhile, Gentes said he had nothing to do with the mailers and won't ask Personal PAC to stop them. Gentes, 49, also said he believes in abortion rights, so there is no reason to refuse Personal PAC's campaign assistance.

"Certainly, this is between Dan and Personal PAC," Gentes said.