On May 13 JivinJ posted a story in (Prolifer)ations on accusations against pro-life OR congressional candidate Mike Erickson by his opponent Kevin Mannix of paying for a girlfriend's abortion in 2000.

A couple items in follow-up.

First, Mannix's mailer implicated OR Right to Life as having endorsed Erickson. I received an email of clarification from Lois Anderson, political director of the ORRTL PAC:

Hi Jill,

Just to make sure you know. We have solely endorsed Kevin Mannix for CD 5 in 2008. Erickson was endorsed in 2006 before she came forward with her story.

Second, Erickson is now saying he didn't do it. From the Oregonian, today...

Speaking publicly for the first time... Republican congressional candidate Mike Erickson denied that he knowingly paid for an ex-girlfriend's abortion.

He acknowledged dating a woman named Tawnya for "a couple of months" in 2000 and helping her with financial problems but said he was unaware she became pregnant or had the procedure.

"I never asked anybody in my life to have an abortion," Erickson said. "Did I pay for an abortion? Absolutely not."

Erickson... said... it was a casual relationship and that he could not remember her last name or where she lived.

One day she asked him for a ride to a doctor's appointment, he said. She also asked for financial help, and he gave her $300, he said, adding that their relationship soon ended.

The abortion charge surfaced in 2006.... Kristi Oetken, a friend of Tawnya, sent an e-mail to... media outlets claiming Erickson knew he had impregnated the woman and knowingly gave her money for an abortion. The allegations remain unsubstantiated....

On Monday, Mannix sent a letter disclosing the 2006 allegations to 60,000 Republican voters. He continued to press the allegations Thursday, this time with a letter sent to 36,000 Republican women who haven't voted.

The letter, from Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, called on Erickson to withdraw from the race, accusing him of dishonesty both in seeking the organization's 2006 endorsement and in denying he had any role in Tawnya's alleged abortion....

"When we approached Mike about these allegations, he admitted giving her money and dropping her at a 'doctor's office.' He said he did not know she was getting an abortion," Atteberry wrote. "No matter where you stand on abortion, Mike's actions are troubling."

Oh, come on. He gave her $300 but didn't know why? He drove her to a doctor's office but didn't know what for?

And he doesn't even remember her name? Low blow, Mike. You just lost the women's vote.

[Photo credit: Mike Erickson for Congress]