See previous post, Fireworks between Brownback and conservative leaders.
From CBN’s Brody File, today:

The Brody File has learned that the Family Research Council is taking a “temporarily leave of absence” from the socially conservative “Values Action Team” meetings on Capitol Hill because of Senator Sam Brownback’s support of pro-choice HHS Secretary-Designate Kathleen Sebelius. FRC says they may rejoin the meetings AFTER the Sebelius nomination is finished.
Senator Brownback chairs those “VAT” meetings every week on Capitol Hill and he is one of the biggest pro-life defenders in the Senate. However, he issued a statement this past week in support of Kathleen Sebelius. Pro-Life groups believe her record on abortion is extreme and have been very disappointed that he has not come out against her….

A source inside the meeting tells the Brody File that FRC explain to Brownback its’ intentions to no longer attend the meetings. At that point, Senator Brownback actually offered to step down from leading the VAT meetings though nobody in the room asked him to do so. In addition, this source says when Brownback was asked by a meeting participant how he would vote on Sebelius, the Senator remained uncommitted.
The Brody File interviewed Tom McClusky, Senior Vice-President of FRC Action about FRC’s decision to leave the VAT meetings…. A partial transcription is below:
“It was a very tough decision except the Family Research Council thought that while we try to fight against this Sebelius nomination and to bring her record to light that it would be better if we took a temporary leave of absence from the values action team…
“We will re-evaluate after the Sebelius nomination if we should go forward with the values Action Team. It’s just that right now we feel somewhat compromised in trying to use that as a vehicle to get our message across.”
Brownback is from KS and is seriously thinking of running for Governor of the state in 2010 so to come out against Sebelius may have hurt him. Clearly there are those who believe political calculations were involved here. The Brody File has called Senator Brownback’s office but so far no response.
By the way, in case you’re not familiar with them, the Values Action Team meetings are a chance for conservative pro-family groups to gather with legislative aides on the Hill to discuss strategies to advance their pro-family agenda.
I know a lot of people will view this as “pro-life groups vs. Sam Brownback” but it’s important to understand that while these groups are no doubt disappointed with Brownback they still have a deep affection for the man. They just think in this case he has hurt the fight against Sebelius.
No doubt that within the pro-life movement, this is an unfortunate and frustrating turn of events. Pro-life groups realize that it will be tough to block Sebelius but they wanted some of these abortion issues to be front and center at her hearing. If Brownback isn’t going to lead the charge then it becomes that much tougher for other pro-life Senators to speak up and end up to the ‘right” of Brownback on this.
Pro-life groups really want to block the Sebelius nomination but they needed someone on the Hill to make the pro-life case AGAINST Sebelius. Brownback would have been the obvious choice but not this time. By opposing Brownback on this, FRC is standing on principle and it’s hard to find fault with that.

[HT: Kristina]