Tue, Oct 4, 2005 1:04pm ET

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NY Times falsely reported that Miers contributed to "abortion rights" group

In an October 4 article headlined "Miers Was Leader in Effort Within Bar to Rescind Support for Abortion," New York Times Washington bureau staff writer Robin Toner reported that Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers "gave $150 to an abortion rights group's dinner in Texas in 1989." In fact, Miers's $150 contribution went to Texans United for Life -- an organization that opposed abortion.

An October 4 Washington Post article reported that a conservative publicist highlighted the donation in an October 3 press release:

Publicist Keith Appell issued a statement saying: "According to Kyleen Wright at Texans for Life, Harriet Miers gave $150 to the organization -- then known as Texans United for Life -- in 1989. Miers was a bronze patron for their annual dinner in which Henry Hyde was the keynote speaker." Hyde, a congressman from Illinois, is a leading opponent of legalized abortion.

The Times itself, in a separate October 4 article by David D. Kirkpatrick, reported that the contribution was made to an anti-abortion rights group:

Later in the afternoon, a conservative publicist circulated a statement saying that Ms. Miers had once contributed $150 at a dinner for Representative Henry Hyde, Republican of Illinois, organized by abortion opponents.

Other news outlets that reported her 1989 contribution to Texans for Life include the Chicago Tribune, The Seattle Times, and Bloomberg.

—J.K.

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