PROVIDENCE — On the Rhode Island Report podcast, former Cranston mayor Allan W. Fung fielded questions about Roe v. Wade, whether he supports former president Donald Trump, and why he’s running for the open 2nd Congressional District seat.
Fung, a Republican, spoke one day after news broke about a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
Fung said the Reproductive Privacy Act, a 2019 state law protecting abortion rights in Rhode Island case Roe v. Wade is overturned, “went too far.” The Rhode Island Supreme Court upheld that law on Wednesday, rejecting a legal challenge by Catholics for Life and others.
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When asked if he describes himself as “pro-choice” or “pro-life,” Fung chose neither description, saying, “I’m not a labels-type person.” He said he opposes “late-term abortion” and taxpayer funding for abortion.
Fung officially launched his campaign on April 26, seeking the 2nd Congressional District seat that Democratic US Representative James R. Langevin is vacating at the end of this year.
Fung, whose parents came to the United States from Hong Kong, talked about what it would mean to become the first Asian-American – and the first person of color – to represent Rhode Island in Congress.
“I would definitely be proud to kind of kick open that bamboo ceiling, ensure that other individuals can follow behind,” he said. “But the most important thing is those pocketbook issues, wallet issues, that we’re all facing in Rhode Island and as a country.”
One of his opponents in the congressional race, Democratic General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, has been circulating a photo that shows Fung wearing a Trump hat. Fung said, “That Trump hat is nothing more than a scare tactic because (Magaziner) doesn’t have the plan to kind of turn our country around.”
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When asked if he supports Trump and his policies, Fung said, “No, look, I’m not running away from Trump because, you know, during this campaign I am going to be asking Trump supporters in the district for their votes, as well as many people that are extremely disappointed with Joe Biden.”
When he launched his campaign, Fung said Cranston kept order during protests over the death of George Floyd in 2020 and when groups of ATV riders tried to enter the city. “When rioters tried to come to Cranston in 2020, we said: Not here. Not now. Not ever,” he said.
When asked about his message to the rioters who attacked the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Fung said, “As a former prosecutor, what I saw that day was extremely disgusting, disturbing. I even tweeted about it on that day. And I recognize Joe Biden is our president, but anyone that committed a crime on that day should be held responsible.”
Hear more by downloading the latest episode of Rhode Island Report, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts, and other podcasting platforms, or listen in the player above.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.