Former NFL running back and Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Georgia Herschel Walker admitted the $700 check that was used for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion was his.
“Yes, that’s my check,” Walker said during an hourlong interview with NBC Sunday Today.
The woman shared images of records with NBC that she says document an abortion she had in 2009. Walker has maintained that he did not know about the abortion and did not pay for it since it was first reported by the Daily Beast
earlier this month.Walker also threatened to take legal action against the Beast. NBC also interviewed a close friend of the woman who said she took care of Walker’s girlfriend after the abortion.
During the interview, Walker added he has written many checks to the woman, who is the mother of one of Walker’s children. However, the woman told NBC News that the $700 check was the only check Walker ever wrote to her before she had a child with him.
Walker has said during his campaign that he believes in a nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions. However, he has denied he took that stance in recent days. During his debate with Sen. Raphael Warnock Friday night, Walker said his position on abortion is the same as Georgia’s heartbeat bill.
The bill, which was signed into law earlier this year, bans abortion after six weeks. The former running back added he supported exceptions for rape, incest, and when a mother’s life is at risk.
Abortion has become more of a hot and sensitive topic since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Numerous bills restricting abortion have been introduced and passed since the court’s decision many of which are being challenged in court. However, abortion has become such a debated topic, Republicans were forced to downplay their ambitions concerning it due to the backlash from women and Democrats.
When asked during the interview why voters should believe him after several contradictions and revelations regarding his children and abortion, Walker said he has been open about his entire life.
“Voters believe me because I have been very transparent about everything I’ve ever done,” Walker said. “You know I wrote a book about everything I have done, I have not tried to hide one thing I’ve ever done.”