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Mitt Romney’s son Tagg signed a surrogacy agreement that gave the surrogate, Tagg and his wife the right to abort her recent pregnancy, according to TMZ.

Tagg, the oldest of Mitt’s five sons, had twins this year through a surrogate, and Mitt Romney covered some of the expenses connected with the arrangement.

The twin boys, David Mitt and William Ryder, were born on May 4, 2012.

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Tagg and his wife Jen, along with the surrogate and her husband, signed a Gestational Carrier Agreement dated July 28, 2011. Paragraph 13 of it reads:

“If in the opinion of the [physician or obstetrician] there is potential physical harm to the surrogate, the decision to abort or not abort is to be made by the surrogate.”

“In the event the child is determined to be physiologically, genetically or chromosomally abnormal, the decision is to be made by the intended parents.”

“In such a case the surrogate agrees to abort, or not to abort, in accordance with the intended parents’ decision.”

“Any decision to abort because of potential harm to the child, or to reduce the number of fetuses, is to be made by the intended parents.”

 
In other words, Tagg and Jen Romney gave the surrogate the right to abort the fetuses even if her life wasn’t in danger. Only “potential physical harm” was needed.

The Romneys had the right to abort the fetuses if they felt they would not be healthy.

Mitt Romney was involved in the surrogate arrangement because he paid some of the expenses, but it is unclear if he read the contract or knew the terms.

The Republican presidential candidate has said he is in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest and the health and life of the mother.

Otherwise, Romney says he’s against abortion, a position he didn’t always hold.

Interestingly, Tagg used the same surrogate in 2009, and there was no Paragraph 13 providing for abortion at that time because Tagg and his wife didn’t want it.

In 2011, when the second contract was being drafted, it was in there.