Ten Democrats cosponsored H.R.3, even with language redefining rape; four of those ten also apparently don’t care if pregnant women die. Sarah Jaffe takes a closer look at all ten, find all posted to date here.

Meet Jerry Costello. He loves fetuses! More than women, apparently, since he’s a cosponsor not only of the formerly-rape-redefining H.R. 3 but also the currently letting-women-die H.R. 358. 

Costello, like our friend Daniel Lipinski, is from Illinois, but from the other end of the state–he represents the 12th district and is Illinois’ most senior Democrat in Congress, having taken office in 1988. 

Notably, according to the Partisan Voting Index, Costello’s district is more reliably Democratic than any of the H.R. 3 Ten except Lipinski. He won 60% of the vote in 2010. 

Costello was on Barack Obama’s Catholic National Advisory Council, created in April ’08 during the contentious Pennsylvania primary, in which Catholic voters played a large role (in that case, holding the state for Hillary Clinton). When you look over the lineup of that council, it’s equal parts pro- and antichoice Democrats–Kathleen Sebelius, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry side by side with Bob Casey, Costello, and Tim Kaine. 

Costello signed onto the Stupak letter threatening to tank his buddy’s health care plan over abortion, though he did wind up voting for the bill. He didn’t sign on as a cosponsor for defunding Planned Parenthood and other Title X healthcare providers, but he did vote for the legislation. 

Costello’s top earmarks are a child development center ($8.2 million)–and “High Explosive Air Burst (HEAB) 25mm Ammunition” ($4.4 million). That sounds very life-promoting, as does “Armor Piercing Incendiary, 30mm Ammunition ($2.4 million). 

His largest contributors are nearly all unions, the Teamsters leading the pack and the American Federation of Teachers below them. Someone might want to tell him that something like 80% of the U.S.’s teachers are women, and some of them have probably had abortions. 

The only legislation Costello has introduced himself this session thus far concerns levees and flood insurance rates, and is specifically targeted at his district though it would no doubt impact other areas as well. 

Costello voted for a constitutional amendment that would’ve banned gay marriage in 2004, and also voted to ban adoption by gay and lesbian couples in Washington, D.C. 

Surprise, surprise, he also voted for a border fence. And to reject a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq. He also voted to give “political appointees” more power to decide whether endangered species protections were more important than, y’know, business. And some oil and gas tax breaks. 

And in an utterly brilliant move, he voted, along with Dan Boren, Mike McIntyre, Heath Shuler, Nick Rahall and Mike Ross to defund Obama’s “czars.” 

From TPM: 

the “ObamaCare” czar, the climate change czar, the global warming czar, the green jobs czar, the car czar, the Guantanamo czar, the pay czar, and the fairness czar. It’s unclear if all these people exist, though Republicans and conservatives have complained about various unconfirmed Obama advisers for years, including Van Jones, who was driven out of the administration, and Carol Browner, who will be leaving the administration in the coming days.

Note to Democrats: Anything that refers to the health care law as “ObamaCare”? Not an honest attempt at bipartisanship or something you should get behind. 

Costello apparently also has seven offices. Other people no longer have one because of his vote. 

And apparently Costello may join our other friend Collin Peterson and maybe some other familiar faces in a bid to “rein in” the EPA. Because environmental protections are for suckers, I guess. 

Costello’s name has come up a lot lately in a sneaky bit of Republican union-busting–this time, on the right side of the issue, as he authored an amendment that would remove the anti-union language in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. (Daily Kos explains.)

As we’re getting close to the end of our lovely tour down Anti-Choice Democrat Lane, let’s recap: Opposed to abortion, check. Opposed to stem cell research, check. Opposed to immigration, check. Opposed to gay marriage, check. Opposed to climate change legislation, check. In favor of guns and ammunition, check. A-OK with war, check.

I think we should start calling them “pro-lifey.” Like Stephen Colbert’s famous line, it’s not truth, it’s truthy. Pro-lifeyness is all about one kind of life and one kind only: fetuses. 

You can ask Jerry Costello whether your life is important enough to matter at his website, or here: 

2408 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5661
(202) 225-0285 – fax

And as usual, you can ask the DCCC why it likes antichoice Dems like Daniel Lipinski better than it likes women.

430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
Main Phone Number: (202) 863-1500

While you’re at it, you can ask them why they’re only asking for $100,000 for “the DCCC’s Women’s Health Rapid Response Fund.”  Antichoice Dems are worth $3.4 million and women’s health is worth $100,000?

Meet the rest of the HR3 Ten here. Meet Nick Rahall next (and last.)