Planned Parenthood, Progress VA Protest Outside Rubio/Cuccinelli Fundraiser

Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC and ProgressVA Highlight Cuccinelli’s Dangerous Record and Agenda on Women’s Health Outside Cuccinelli/Rubio Fundraiser in Richmond

You can view photos from the event here: https://www.facebook.com/PPAVirginia/photos_stream 

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC and ProgressVA supporters and volunteers rallied outside the fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to say they’re not fooled by Cuccinelli’s attempts to appear moderate on issues important to Virginia women and their health. Cuccinelli has a clear record of interfering with women’s health – and holds some of the most extreme views on women’s health by any major party candidate in the country. For example, he is a leading advocate for extreme and dangerous so called “personhood” efforts which, if enacted, could interfere in personal, private medical decisions relating to birth control, and as a state senator, Cuccinelli voted against a measure that would have specified that contraception does not constitute abortion. Cuccinelli is against abortion, even in the cases of rape, incest, or when a woman’s health is in danger, and has said his ultimate goal is to make abortion disappear in America. 

As polling shows that these views are costing him significantly with women (and a broad cross-section of voters), Cuccinelli is now trying to obscure his actual positions; most recently, he told voters that he has a “flat position” on birth control and that he won’t touch contraception if elected governor in November. 

Participants were joined by Planned Parenthood Votes’ human-sized birth control pill pack named Pillamina to remind attendees of Ken Cuccinelli’s record on birth control and Marco Rubio’s co-sponsorship of the much-talked-about Blunt amendment, which would have allowed bosses to refuse to cover birth control in their health care plans. 

You can view photos from the event here: https://www.facebook.com/PPAVirginia/photos_stream 

“We aren’t fooled by Ken Cuccinelli’s attempts to appear moderate and Virginia voters shouldn’t be either. The truth is, KenCuccinelli holds some of the most extreme views on women’s health by any major party candidate in the country. That’s why we’re working hard to make sure Virginian’s know exactly where he stands when they head to the polls this November,” saidCianti Stewart-Reid, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC. 

The action comes the same day Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC Executive Director Cianti Stewart-Reid posted a Huffington Post op-ed highlighting the similarities between Cuccinelli’s and Rubio’s positions on women’s health. 

You can read the full Huffington Post piece here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cianti-stewartreid/marco-rubio-ken-cuccinelli_b_3933938.html 

“Ken Cuccinelli has made a career out of attacking women's access to comprehensive reproductive care, from birth control to abortion. Women won't be fooled by his new attempts to hide his extreme record,” said Anna Scholl, Executive Director of Progress VA. 

Like Cuccinelli, Senator Rubio has a record of extreme opposition to women’s health:

• Rubio co-sponsored the much-talked-about Blunt amendment, which would have allowed bosses to refuse to cover birth control in their health care plans.
• In July, Rubio published an op-ed where he called the Affordable Care Act — a law that has already benefitted 765,000 Virginia women who are receiving preventive care like birth control and cancer screenings with no additional co-pay — “disastrous.” 
• Rubio has volunteered to be the lead sponsor on an extreme and dangerous nationwide 20-week abortion ban.
• Rubio supports cutting off women from Planned Parenthood’s preventive health care services such as birth control and lifesaving cancer screenings, saying he has “problems with what Planned Parenthood does.”
• Rubio refused to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. While Cuccinelli was one of only three state attorneys general to refuse to support its reauthorization, Rubio voted against the bipartisan measure to combat domestic violence and sexual assault – twice. 

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Paid for by Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC.
Authorized by Terry McAuliffe candidate for Governor.