ALBANY, Aug. 1 - Democrats and Republicans on Monday began a fierce attack on Gov. George E. Pataki's decision to veto a bill that would make the so-called morning-after pill available without a prescription and raised doubts about whether the legislation could be revived.
The criticism came a day after aides to Mr. Pataki said he would oppose the measure because it did not include any provisions that would prevent minors from having access to the drug. Mr. Pataki's aides said the governor would reconsider the measure if the Legislature made amendments to the bill that addressed his concerns.
But Mr. Pataki's critics inside and outside of the State Legislature sharply questioned the governor's motives, noting his long support for reproductive rights and suggesting that he was altering his position to win favor with national conservatives as he prepares for a possible bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
-snip-
"The bill would have given women more options to prevent pregnancies and, as a result, would have prevented abortions," Mr. Bruno said. "I was surprised by the governor's reason for a veto, given that under existing law, minors already have access to a far worse alternative than taking a pill to prevent an unwanted pregnancy."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/nyregion/02pataki.htmlBruno is "the Republican majority leader in the State Senate" who "appeared to take a swipe at the reason the governor gave for opposing the measure, making a veiled reference to the fact that the state currently covers the cost of abortions and an abortion-inducing drug for low-income minors."