Pols notes ties between Schaffer, Abramoff and Northern Mariana Islands

From Colorado Pols,

We can't believe he brought up the Northern Marianas experience with immigrant labor as a good thing. Seriously, we're floored by this. You may not understand exactly what we're talking about yet, but by the time Democrats get through reminding you of the whole sordid story featuring Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, the Northern Marianas Territory, and forced abortions (you read that correctly) you will--everybody will.

The issue of forced abortions is at the heart of the battle to exempt the Islands from U.S. labor laws. A fight led by Tom Delay and Jack Abramoff with Bob Schaffer acting as a loyal foot-soldier. Pols links to this interview with ABC news Brian Ross with Democracy Now,

AMY GOODMAN: I want to go to the issue of forced abortion, which is astounding given Tom DeLay's stand on abortion. Can you talk about that?

BRIAN ROSS: Well, it's completely counter to anything that DeLay or most Republicans seem to espouse, that was, on that island there were forced abortions. And the workers there who are all young women, who often had to pay to get these jobs, knew the rules. And they were barred from having boyfriends and certainly barred from having children if they became pregnant. They knew where to go, and there were a few essential back-alley abortion mills on the island. And that's where these young Chinese women went in order to keep their jobs. And that was the deal. That's part of the situation that was essentially endorsed by DeLay when he fought the laws. The laws were established essentially exempting Saipan, although it is a U.S. territory, from U.S. labor laws.

For more information here is an in-depth investigative piece on the Mariana Islands sweatshops and a link to an audio interveiw with the author at NPR.