Personhood USA worried fetuses could face 'death penalty' under Romney

The anti-abortion group Personhood USA on Tuesday criticized Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney after he sought to distance himself from embattled Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO).

After Akin created a firestorm by claiming victims of "legitimate rape" don't get pregnant, the Romney-Ryan campaign said in a statement that they disagreed with Akin's views and would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.

"Personhood USA does not endorse political candidates, but we had hoped that Congressman Ryan would be a good influence on Governor Romney, considering Romney’s liberal abortion record,” explained Jennifer Mason, Communications Director for Personhood USA.

“Reading today that babies conceived in rape should suffer the death penalty under a Romney-Ryan administration is extremely concerning, and indicates that Congressman Ryan’s pro-woman and pro-baby positions would have little influence if he wins the office of Vice President of the United States.”

Personhood USA has pushed for amendments to state constitutions that would define a human being as beginning at the moment of conception. The amendments would completely outlaw abortion, with no exceptions for rape and incest.

Last year, Romney told Fox News host Mike Huckabee that he "absolutely" supported the fetal personhood amendments. But he later walked back his endorsement, saying the issue should be left up to states to decide.

Romney's running mate, however, supports fetal personhood laws. Ryan was one of the 64 co-sponsors of the Sanctity of Human Life Act. Like the fetal personhood amendments, the bill would provide a fertilized egg with the same legal rights as a human being and completely outlaw abortion.

[Mitt Romney via Maria Dryfhout / Shutterstock.com]