After Debate Full of Exaggerations, Rudy to Again Overstate Adoption Numbers Under His Watch

From the city's bridges to his so-called health care plan to his fiscal policies, Rudy Giuliani continued to stretch the truth about his record as New York City's mayor during the ABC-sponsored debate yesterday. When he touts his so-called "commitment" to increase adoptions in Iowa today, expect Giuliani to again outright exaggerate his role in increasing the number of adoptions that occurred in New York while he was mayor.

The independent group FactCheck.org has repeatedly debunked Rudy's numbers. They note that "adoptions declined in five of the mayor's last six years," using the same set of official numbers that the Giuliani campaign relies on. They said this is "a classic case of how candidates and public officials sometimes use data selectively to create a false impression." ["Levitating Numbers," Factcheck.org, 5/7/07, http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/levitating_numbers.html; "Adoption Finalizations: Fiscal Years 1989-2003," 2003 End Review, NYC Administration For Children's Services, http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/downloads/pdf/stats_yearend_review03.pdf, p.14 ]

As The New York Times reported, "little if anything in the public record suggests that he was promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion." The article points out that the adoption numbers Giuliani cites "mirrored national trends" and can be attributed to President Clinton's Adoption and Safe Families Act, which "offered huge incentives to cities adoption programs." [The New York Times, 5/17/07; New York City Administration For Children's Services]

"It seems that Rudy Giuliani's tendency to stretch the truth about his record as mayor is becoming a chronic habit," said DNC Communications Director Karen Finney. "Rather than sticking to the truth, Rudy chooses to misleads voters by outright overstating adoption numbers, distorting his fiscal record and exaggerating his leadership in the aftermath of 9/11. How can voters trust Rudy to lead our country when they can't trust him to tell the truth about his record as Mayor of New York City?"

THE TRUTH BEHIND GIULIANI'S "COMMITMENTS"

ADOPTION STATS: EXAGGERATED REALITY:

Adoptions Declined 5 Years Out Of Eight, Were Going Down When He Left, Only Went Up 17% Overall. In fact, the independent group FactCheck.org has repeatedly debunked Giuliani's misleading numbers. In a recent article they wrote that "Adoptions declined in five of the mayor's last six years," using the same set of official numbers that the Giuliani campaign relies on. They said this is "a classic case of how candidates and public officials sometimes use data selectively to create a false impression." The data shows that adoptions went down for most of the years he ran the city, by as much as 17% one year. Adoptions overall were "only 17 percent higher than at the start, and falling." ["Levitating Numbers," Factcheck.org, 5/7/07, http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/levitating_numbers.html; "Adoption Finalizations: Fiscal Years 1989-2003," 2003 End Review, NYC Administration For Children's Services, http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/downloads/pdf/stats_yearend_review03.pdf, p.14 ]

Giuliani Ignores National Factors, Fact That NYC Increased At 1/10th the Pace Of Country. According to experts, "other factors probably contributed to those changes, calling into question Mr. Giuliani's suggesting correlation between the two trends," citing Clinton administration incentives that helped city adoption programs nationwide. The New York Times said there is "little if anything in the public record suggests that he was promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion," despite his claim that he "encouraged adoptions." [The New York Times, 5/17/07]

Federal Record Well Outpaced NYC. Data about adoption trends across the nation from the US government shows that while adoptions were decreasing steadily in New York starting in fiscal year 1998, they continued to grow by significant numbers nationally and the improvement beat New York City's in seven out of eight years. In FY96, NYC grew 0%, and the national figure by 8%. FY97: NYC 9%, USA 12%; FY98: NYC -4%, USA 20%, FY99: NYC -1%, USA 26%; FY00: NYC -17%, USA 9%; FY01, NYC -14%, USA -1%; FY02: NYC -1%, USA 5%. The national increase averaged 14% annually over these years, compared to an average of 4% a year. for NYC. Over the entire 8 year period, nationally adoptions were up 175%, ten times the 17% increase in the city. [FactCheck.org; New York City Administration For Children's Services; US Administration For Children and Families AFCARS and VCIS data]

ABORTION STATS: NYC HAD HIGHEST ABORTION RATE

New York City Had The Highest Number And Ratio Of Abortions Per Every 1,000 Live Births In The Country When Giuliani Left Office In 2001. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "In 2001, the highest number of reported legal induced abortions occurred in NYC (91,792)." The CDC report also said "The abortion ratios by state or area of occurrence ranged from 36 per 1,000 live births in Idaho to 767 per 1,000 in NYC." [Abortion Surveillance, CDC, 2001, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5309a1.htm]

Nationally, Abortions Declined Much More Then In NYC. As with adoptions, Giuliani's record actually pales when compared to national trends. Data from the annual "Abortion Surveillance" study of the US Centers For Disease Control shows that the total number of "legal abortions" reported in the nation for 1993 (before Giuliani took office) was 1,330,414, and it decreased by 36% to 853,485 for 2001. Data reported to the CDC by New York City's Department of Health showed a 17% decrease, from 110,435 in 1993 to 91,792 in 2001. ["Table 3: Legal Abortions By Occurrence," Abortion Surveillance: United States, 1993-2001, US Centers For Disease Control (1993/1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2000; 2001)]

GIULIANI LACKS CREDIBILITY ON ISSUE OF CHOICE

Giuliani Repeatedly Flip-Flopped On Abortion. The Washington Post reported, "Since leaving the mayor's office, he has changed position on such issues as the late-term abortions called "partial-birth" procedures by some, parental consent for minors and the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of abortions under Medicaid except in restricted circumstances." [Washington Post, 5/9/07]

Giuliani Though Strict Constructionist Could Overturn Roe or Uphold It. Giuliani stated that courts have to decide what to do with Roe, but implied that a strict constructionist could overturn it or find that Roe was precedent, upholding it. Asked at the first GOP Debate, "would the day that Roe v. Wade is repealed be a good day for America, Giuliani, responded, "It would be OK." Chris Matthews asked, "OK to repeal?" Giuliani said, "It would be OK to repeal. It would be also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent and I think a judge has to make that decision." Matthews asked, "Would it be OK if they didn't repeal it?" Giuliani said, "I think the court has to make that decision and then the country can deal with it." [Debate, 5/3/07]