From the Democratic Party of Virginia:
Richmond, VA – Today Maryellen Remich, a retired nurse practitioner who has treated women of all ages, and Lauren Harmon, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, condemned Ken Cuccinelli and Mark Obenshain's record of introducing legislation that could result in police investigations of Virginia women who suffer miscarriages.
Remich, who spent 30 years as a nurse practitioner and who currently is on the Board of Directors of the Chesapeake Care Free Clinic, said the following about the GOP ticket's dangerous agenda against women:
“During all the years I have practiced medicine, at no point have I ever met a health care professional who viewed banning birth control or threatening to turn women who suffer miscarriages into criminals as necessary or remotely helpful to keeping people healthy. This agenda is dangerous, it’s unnecessary and it would absolutely threaten the ability of doctors and nurses in every part of Virginia to do their jobs well.
“All Virginians want to make abortion unnecessary by having every child be a wanted child to parents who care for it. I strongly believe that easy and confidential access to all aspects of health care is the best way to achieve this end. It would be good for the women, family, and future generations. This is a ticket that, at its core, doesn't trust women. Cuccinelli and Obenshain are pursuing legislation that would restrict women's health care decisions and could even make women the target of police scrutiny after they suffer a miscarriage.”
Harmon then discussed the effects that legislation Cuccinelli co-patroned declaring “personhood” at the moment of fertilization could have on women who suffer miscarriages. She stated, “That legislation would have a variety of consequences for Virginia women including outlawing abortion in all cases and banning common forms of birth control like the pill. There also could be an impact on women suffering miscarriages. Its possible women would be subject to law enforcement investigations because of a miscarriage if Cuccinelli's 'personhood' legislation became law.”
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