Congressman Todd Akin Fans Controversy Again

Todd Akin’s reputation for controversy hopefully peaked in . The Missouri Congressman, a Republican,  went on television in Saint Louis and implied that he believes women cannot become pregnant due to rape. The statement was immediately condemned by both Democrats and Republicans including Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan. Akin was immediately painted as a right wing extremist, a portrait of everything that is wrong with the Republican party: lack of education, ignorance of science, creating biological facts to support a moral position—in this case, abortion.
Now, Akin is in trouble again, this time for not supporting the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. The controversy, though minor when compared to the fallout from his statements regarding rape and abortion, illustrates that women’s rights remains a hot-button issue, even in 2012.
Nearly fifteen years ago, a supervisor at Goodyear filed suit against her employer, citing unequal pay. On the surface, it was a cut and dry case of discrimination, one well covered under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, the defense found a loophole: They said she filed too late. The plaintiff, Lilly Ledbetter, filed suit only six months before retirement. The court said because she’d known about the pay issue since 1992 and waited six years before suing, the complaint was outside the Civil Rights Act’s statute of limitations.
Congressional Democrats rapidly drafted a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations. It went to congress in 2008 and was voted down; it went back to Congress the following year and passed confidently.
Akin Opposes Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Controversy Surrounding the Act
Akin was among those who opposed the bill. He reasoned in a September 2012 statement that he voted against the Fair Pay Act because it represented further government intrusion on capitalism. Many Republicans voted against the bill because eliminating the statute of limitations might cause chaos in the courts, inviting nonsensical yet legally valid lawsuits against companies, even companies who have changed leadership since alleged discriminatory acts took place.
Todd Akin’s Position and Further Controversy
Akin’s lack of support for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 is now being used as election capital. The Congressman is, in some circles, popularly viewed as a chauvinist. His election opponent, Claire McCaskill, is a woman. His extremely suspect statements regarding rape and pregnancy indicate conservative social values that stem from naivete. How his statements relating to the Lilly Ledbetter Act will affect his re-election campaign is unknown. The very existence of the Act in 2009, however, proves that pay discrimination exists in America today. If you feel you have been discriminated against because of your gender, call the Law Offices of Valli, Kane & Vagnini today for a free consultation.