An anti-abortion leader who also heads Ohio's medical board says he will recuse himself from voting on a complaint involving three abortion providers he has publicly criticized.
Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis says his decision to sit out the pending Dayton Right to Life case came before groups representing doctors, consumers and women wrote Friday seeking his removal as board president.
Organizations including Common Cause Ohio, Doctors for Health Care Solutions, Democratic Voices of Ohio, the National Organization for Women and the liberal policy group ProgressOhio argued Gonidakis' statements show he can't be impartial in abortion-related cases.
Gonidakis says all board members must follow ethics laws requiring them to be fair and impartial. Republican Gov. John Kasich appointed him to one of two board seats for consumers.
