We've heard comments like these in the past about Bob Cetrulo, the muscle behind the anti-abortion/political group Northern Kentucky Right to Life:

        “Bob Cetrulo has chosen to attempt to vilify one person in keeping with his bullying techniques that he has become accustomed to using,” said this Northern Kentucky politician who has become the most recent victim of a full-frontal attack.

        “His outright lying and angry spirit has once again resurfaced, and I'm determined that I would not allow my good name and pro-life stance to be smeared.”

        Nothing new there. Lots of politicians, mainly Democrats, have let loose similar public and private diatribes after Mr. Cetrulo has attacked them and their records on abortion-related issues.

        But what is newsworthy, even a little shocking, is the victim of Mr. Cetrulo's latest political sortie, the same person who gave the aforementioned quote calling Mr. Cetrulo a bully and a liar.

        Her name is Barb Black. She's a Kenton County commissioner from Taylor Mill, a staunch conservative, a Republican and a woman so opposed to abortion that she makes the pope look like he's left of the issue.

        So why is Mr. Cetrulo going after Mrs. Black, trashing her in his latest Right to Life newsletter and questioning her commitment to the anti-abortion cause?

        Good question. There is an answer, of course, but it — like a lot of things Mr. Cetrulo does — does not seem to make a lot of sense.

        Here's Mrs. Black's crime.

        She is a member of the Northern Kentucky Independent District Health Board, a group that has had some well-publicized smackdowns over abortion.

        On Sept. 20 the board voted on a motion regarding the so-called morning-after pill. The motion was an attempt by anti-abortion advocates — the Pro-Life crowd of which Mrs. Black is a leading member — to reverse the board's existing policy regarding the pill.

        The health district doesn't dispense the pill, but if a woman requests it, she is referred to Planned Parenthood in Cincinnati. Mrs. Black and others on the board wanted the policy changed so no referrals are made. The attempt was voted down, but Mrs. Black — true to her anti-abortion convictions — supported the failed motion to reverse the policy.

        Mr. Cetrulo had no problem with Mrs. Black's vote.

        But also at that meeting an amendment was offered that called for a halt to dispensing all oral contraceptives — including birth control pills — to the health district's female clients.

        Mrs. Black struggled with the amendment. She thought it was being rushed through, that more information was needed, and she wrestled with the concept of eliminating all oral contraceptives prescribed and dispensed by the health district.

        So she voted against that amendment.

        But, at the same meeting and after some discussion with board members and her own private contemplation, Mrs. Black changed her vote to “yes” on the amendment.

        And that, in the eyes of Mr. Cetrulo, was Mrs. Black's crime. She had the audacity to actually think out her position, and even after doing so she still voted with the anti-abortion group on the board.

        “Barb made the right decision. She made the pro-life decision,” said Boone County Commissioner Robert Hay, also a health district board member and a strong anti-abortionist who supports Mrs. Black's actions.

        “You can't fault her for going through some soul-searching to get there, but she made the right decision,” he said. “I hold no criticism for her on this issue.”

        That's just not good enough for Mr. Cetrulo, who has used his Right to Life newsletter to attack Mrs. Black.

        Neither Mr. Cetrulo nor his top lieutenant, Fred Summe, were available to talk.

        But we've seen Mr. Cetrulo go off like this before. Earlier this year he attacked Republican state Sen. Dick Roeding, a longtime advocate of reducing and opposing abortions, because abortion-related legislation was moving quickly through the General Assembly.

        And he previously went after Democrats like former lawmakers Bill Donnermeyer and Joe Meyer of Northern Kentucky, legislators who introduced and passed legislation designed to reduce abortions, but who drew Mr. Cetrulo's wrath when they didn't jump as high as he liked.

        Mrs. Black said the Right to Life community is growing tired of Mr. Cetrulo's techniques and “intimidation.”

        It's about time. Mr. Cetrulo makes no allowances for compromise or difference of opinion. He does not have to, of course. He can say whatever he likes, write in his newsletter whatever he feels, attack all the politicians — even those that are on his side — all he wants.

        But a lot of supporters are wondering whether the time has come to stop listening.

       Patrick Crowley covers Kentucky politics for The Kentucky Enquirer. He can be reached at 578-5581, or by e-mail at Pcrowley9@home.com.

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