
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 1, 1993                   TAG: 9308010096
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: FORT SMITH, ARK.                                LENGTH: Short

ABORTION FOES REQUEST ELDERS SENATE PROBE

An anti-abortion group asked a Senate committee to investigate whether Dr. Joycelyn Elders lied during her confirmation hearing for U.S. surgeon general.

In a response to written questions from the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, Elders said she was not acting as Arkansas Health Department director when she addressed an abortion rights rally last year, according to Dale W. Morfey, chairman of Westark Christian Action Council.

But Morfey said he has Elders on videotape saying she was at the event doing her job as the state's health director.

The Arkansas group is raising the issue since it tried to have Elders prosecuted for speaking at the rally in support of a state constitutional amendment to prohibit Arkansas from restricting abortions. It alleged that as a public official, Elders violated state laws that bar officials from soliciting referendum petitions while on duty and require the state to protect the unborn.

- Associated Press

by CNB