Georgia GOP Senate pick Herschel Walker, abortion ban proponent, reportedly funded girlfriend's abortion
Herschel Walker, the Republican Senate nominee in Georgia and advocate of strict abortion bans, encouraged his girlfriend to get an abortion in 2009 and then reimbursed her after she underwent the procedure, The Daily Beast reported Monday night. Walker called the report a "flat-out lie" that he denies in the "strongest possible terms," and vowed to sue The Daily Beast for defamation Tuesday morning.
The unidentified woman gave The Daily Beast proof of her relationship with Walker, the receipt for her abortion, a bank deposit receipt with an image of a $700 check from Walker, and a copy of the signed "get well" card — shown in the article — she says Walker enclosed the check in. The Daily Beast also says it independently corroborated the woman's story with a close friend who cared for her after her abortion.
Walker told the woman an abortion would be more convenient and it was "not the right time" for him to have a child, she told The Daily Beast. She said she agreed, and learned only later that Walker had fathered his second of three out-of-wedlock children with another woman earlier that same year. She said she came forward because of Walker's comments equating abortion to murder and support for bans with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. "I just can't with the hypocrisy anymore," she told The Daily Beast. "We all deserve better."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The allegation that Walker funded a girlfriend's abortion seems to have been an open secret in some circles. Prominent conservative commentator Erick Erickson first said he "thought we all knew this ... old news" about Walker, then later clarified that "it may not have been public," but "it was definitely talked about in quiet discussions."
Christian Walker, Herschel Walker's oldest son, also seemed unsurprised. "You're not a 'family man' when you left us to bang a bunch of women, threatened to kill us, and had us move over 6 times in 6 months running from your violence." he tweeted. "Every family member of Herschel Walker asked him not to run for office, because we all knew (some of) his past. Every single one," but "he decided to give us the middle finger and air out all of his dirty laundry in public, while simultaneously lying about it. I'm done."
"I LOVE my son no matter what," Herschel Walker tweeted.
Read more about the Walker abortion allegations at The Daily Beast.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What the chancellor's pension megafund plans mean for your money
Rachel Reeves wants pension schemes to merge and back UK infrastructure – but is it putting your money at risk?
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Why Māori are protesting in New Zealand
A controversial bill has ignited a 'flashpoint in race relations' as opponents claim it will undermine the rights of Indigenous people
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 21, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published