From NARAL Virginia:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRURARY 28, 2013
RADICAL ANTI-CHOICE GROUP PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR CUCCINELLI’S WAR ON WOMEN
Susan B. Anthony List to donates $1.5 million to extreme GOP Gubernatorial Candidate
The Susan B. Anthony List, a national organization known for its extreme stance on women’s health care, has announced a commitment of $1.5 million to the Virginia gubernatorial campaign of Republican Ken Cuccinelli. According the Associated Press, Susan B. Anthony List President Majorie Dannenfelser explained the funding decision as an “easy call”, and argued that Cuccinelli “has an ideal track record for someone who is a pro-women candidate.” Danenfelser also indicated the national significance of the race for Virginia Governor: "This is hands-down the most important election in the country right now."
Caroline O’Shea, deputy director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, released the following statement on Susan B. Anthony List’s upcoming announcement:
"The Susan B. Anthony List has a long history of waging war on women’s rights and healthcare, from their support of radical ‘personhood’ legislation to their fight to ban access to abortion in all cases – including rape, incest, and danger to the life of the mother. It is unsurprising that they would back Cuccinelli, who shares their extreme agenda and has a similar disregard for the health and well-being of Virginian women.
"Praise for Cuccinelli as a ‘pro-woman’ candidate is laughable, quite frankly,” O’Shea continued. "Cuccinelli has spent virtually his entire political career attempting to insert government into women’s personal, private decisions and keep thousands of Virginian women from accessing the critical medical services they need. As is obvious by this heavy donation, powerful and well-funded anti-choice organizations recognize the importance of Virginia’s 2013 election for the future of reproductive rights – both here and nationally – and they are heavily invested in electing a new Virginia governor who will continue their war on women. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia is fully prepared to ensure that Virginians understand what’s at stake in this election and expose Cuccinell’s anti-choice agenda for what it is: dangerous, extreme, and out-of-touch with Virginia voters.”
###
Also see the following from Planned Parenthood of Virginia PAC:
Endorsement from Anti-Women’s Health Group Confirms Cuccinelli’s Dangerous Agenda for Virginia Women
RICHMOND, VA—Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC released the following statement after Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was endorsed by anti-women’s health group Susan B. Anthony List, who pledged $1.5 million to support his campaign for Governor.
“Today’s endorsement confirms that Ken Cuccinelli’s crusade to end safe and legal abortion will continue if he is elected Governor. Throughout his career, Cuccinelli has pushed forward medically unnecessary bills and regulations designed to chip away at women’s access to health care and safe and legal abortion. Let’s not forget that the group endorsing Cuccinelli today is the same group that defended Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock after their ignorant and dangerous comments about rape.
“Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC worked hard to defeat anti-women’s health candidates in November and we are stronger than ever for 2013. We will make sure that Virginia voters are aware of Cuccinelli’s dangerous agenda for women and their health care,” said Cianti Stewart-Reid, executive director, Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC.”
Earlier this month, Planned Parenthood Virgina PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Planned Parenthood Votes launched the “Keep Ken Out” campaign to remind Virginians about Cuccinelli’s dangerous record and agenda for Virginia women’s health and economic security.
Last month, Cuccinelli compared his fight against the Affordable Care Act’s birth control benefit to the civil rights struggle led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and argued that opponents of no co-pay birth control should be willing to “go to jail” to fight the law. Cuccinelli has been described as the “Son of Santorum” by the New York Times and as “the most overtly partisan attorney general in Virginia’s history” by the Washington Post editorial board.
His anti-women’s health agenda is out of touch with Virginians. According to election night exit polls, 86 percent of Virginia voters believe abortion should remain legal in at least some or all cases.
Cuccinelli, the first attorney general in the country to file a lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, supports letting employers decide whether a woman has access to affordable birth control; introduced an amendment to defund Planned Parenthood in Virginia; isopposed to safe and legal abortion even in cases of rape or incest; supported targeted regulations of abortion providers (TRAP) designed as a backdoor ban to eliminate access to safe and legal abortion in Virginia; and is a leading advocate for extreme and dangerous so called “personhood” efforts that if enacted, could interfere with personal, private, medical decisions relating to birth control, access to fertility treatment, management of a miscarriage, and access to safe and legal abortion.
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
