Geoffrey Fieger, attorney to suicide doctor Jack Kevorkian, is running for governor in Michigan. Over the past few years, Fieger and his client—from whom he has never distanced himself—have not just disagreed with the Catholic Church’s teachings on life issues, they have attacked and disparaged Roman Catholicism. Consequently, the Catholic League believes that Fieger is ill-suited to hold public office.
Catholic League president William Donohue stated the league’s position in a news release:
“In my debates with Geoffrey Fieger, and in my readings of his commentaries, I have seen enough evidence to warrant the conclusion that he bears an animus against Catholicism and should therefore be denied an opportunity to govern. He and his client, Dr. Kevorkian, have taken great delight in ridiculing and caricaturing the Catholic hierarchy and Catholic doctrine. That Fieger should now seek public office in Michigan is on a par with David Duke seeking office in Louisiana.
“Fieger’s penchant for demagoguery means that he cannot stick to the issues. Moreover, he has misrepresented the truth by claiming, without a shred of evidence, that a Catholic priest assisted in one of Kevorkian’s assisted suicide cases.
“In debate, Fieger makes it clear that he believes Catholics like myself should not engage in public dialogue on the issues of the day. What he appears to want is the assignment of practicing Catholics to a second class status. Fieger has a right to entertain any views he wants, but Catholics, as well as non-Catholics, not only have a right—they have a duty—to send him the same message that was previously sent to David Duke: pack it in and get on with your life.”
Consistent with league policy, there will be no endorsement of any candidate running for governor in Michigan.
