Friends,

Over the past three years, Ken Cuccinelli has consistently abused his powers as Attorney General.

Take it from me; I’ve been at the receiving end of it. For two years, Cuccinelli spent over half a million taxpayer dollars in a lawsuit against me and the University of Virginia for our climate science research.

Luckily, Mark came to my defense, calling Cuccinelli out for manipulating the law to persecute me just because he doesn’t believe in climate change. The courts agreed. I’ve described the entire ordeal in my recent book The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars.

Mark has what we so desperately need in the Attorney General’s office: integrity. With less than a month until the primary, he needs to let voters know – on TV and in person – that he’ll hold the political extremists accountable. But to do it, he must raise $10,000 by midnight tonight.

We have 13 hours, so don’t wait.

Click here to donate $5 or more and join me in supporting Mark before the deadline at midnight tonight. He’ll bring integrity back to the Attorney General’s office.

It’s mindboggling that Virginia has an Attorney General who thinks you can use the law to persecute people you disagree with. And what Cuccinelli did to me wasn’t unique. He’s filed briefs against the federal government for passing healthcare reform, against the EPA for regulating greenhouse gasses—he’s even tried to stop Virginia colleges and universities from adopting nondiscrimination policies.

Cuccinelli’s made a mess of the Commonwealth, trampling over science and voters’ rights with his personal vendettas. We simply can’t afford another four years. Mark has the passion and experience to fix this mess and he has a track record of protecting the rights of Virginians—not taking them away.

We need Mark’s help, but he can’t get to the Attorney General’s office without our support.We’re up against some powerful people, but if we work together, I know we can do this.

Click here to donate $5 or more so that Mark can reach his $10,000 goal before midnight tonight.

Thanks for standing with Mark.

Michael Mann
Distinguished Professor, Penn State University*
Director of Penn State Earth System Science Center

Herring, Waddell Kick of Week of Focus on Cuccinelli’s Extreme Anti-Women’s Health Agenda

Bipartisan leaders highlight Cuccinelli’s efforts to ban common forms of birth control 

Richmond, VA – Today on a media conference call, Delegate and Democratic Party of Virginia Chair Charniele Herring and former Republican and Independent Delegate Katherine Waddell discussed how extreme and dangerous Ken Cuccinelli’s “personhood” agenda is to the health of Virginia women.

“We’ve seen some 'personhood' bills that seek to outlaw abortion by defining life as beginning at 'conception,'” said Herring. “What Cuccinelli did was take it a step further by introducing a bill that defined it as beginning 'at the moment of fertilization.'”

“The practical result of that would have been to ban any birth control that prevents a fertilized egg from resulting in a pregnancy. That includes highly common forms like the birth control pill.”

Waddell continued, “Recognizing a woman’s constitutionally-protected right to make those decisions isn’t about partisan politics – it’s about keeping women healthy and keeping Virginia’s economy growing.

“Ken Cuccinelli’s personhood legislation was a particularly vicious attack, not only on abortion rights, but also on Virginia women’s access to many forms of FDA-approved birth control. The stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines and let Ken Cuccinelli force his extreme agenda on Virginia women and their families.”

Today’s call kicked off a week of activities aimed at educating Virginians about Cuccinelli’s extreme record on women’s health before Republicans finalize his nomination for Governor this Saturday in Richmond.

“This week, as Republicans prepare to finalize Ken Cuccinelli's nomination to be their candidate for Governor, we’re probably going to see a pretty blatant attempt at an extreme makeover for Cuccinelli,” continued Herring. “That’s why the Democratic Party of Virginia, as well as concerned Virginia Republicans and independents, are ready to take action to make sure the people of this Commonwealth know how extremely dangerous Ken Cuccinelli’s agenda is to the health of Virginia women.”

Background on Cuccinelli’s Extreme Personhood Agenda

Personhood

Cuccinelli Cosponsored Personhood Bill in 2007

In February 2007, Sen. Cuccinelli cosponsored legislation introduced by Del. Bob Marshall that would prove that “the right to enjoyment of life” guaranteed by Article 1, § 1 of the Constitution of Virginia applies to “preborn human beings from the moment of fertilization.”  The bill failed in the House. [HB 2797, 2/5/07]

American Congress Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists: Personhood Defined at Moment of Fertilization Would “Deny Women Access To The Full Spectrum Of Preventive Health Care, Including Contraception”

In February 2012, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a statement: “Although the individual wording in these proposed measures varies from state to state, they all attempt to give full legal rights to a fertilized egg by defining “personhood” from the moment of fertilization, before conception (ie, pregnancy/ implantation) has occurred. This would have wide-reaching harmful implications for the practice of medicine and on women's access to contraception, fertility treatments, pregnancy termination, and other essential medical procedures.” [American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2/10/12]

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Under Personhood Law Defined at Moment of Fertilization “Most Effective and Reliable Forms of Contraception such as Oral Contraceptives” Could Be Banned 

In February 2012, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a statement: “These ‘personhood’ proposals, as acknowledged by proponents, would make condoms, natural family planning, and spermicides the only legally allowed forms of birth control. Thus, some of the most effective and reliable forms of contraception, such as oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and other forms of FDA-approved hormonal contraceptives could be banned in states that adopt ‘personhood’ measures.” [American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2/10/12]

Hormonal Birth Control Makes It Less Likely For A Fertilized Egg To Attach To The Uterus

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “hormonal birth control methods work by releasing hormones to prevent ovulation. The cervical mucus thickens, making it hard for a sperm to reach the egg. The endometrium thins, making it less likely that a fertilized egg will attach to it.” [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, June 2012]

Virginians For Life: HB 2797 Would “Dismantle The Tragic Roe V. Wade Decision”

In February 2007, the Petersburg Progress-Index published a letter to the editor from Bob Kline, a member of Virginians for Life. The letter praised the Virginia Life at Conception Act, saying that it “would dismantle the Tragic Roe v. Wade decision that legalized the murder of innocent children on demand.” [Petersburg Progress-Index, letter to the editor, 2/5/07]

Virginians For Life: HB 2797 Would End Planned Parenthood’s “Lucrative And Grisly Trade In Human Flesh”

In February 2007, the Petersburg Progress-Index published a letter to the editor from Bob Kline, a member of Virginians for Life. The letter said: “I believe the 20,000 unborn babies who die every year in Virginia deserve our continued sacrificial efforts. Planned Parenthood fully understands that a Virginia Life at Conception Act can end their lucrative and grisly trade in human flesh.” [Petersburg Progress-Index, letter to the editor, 2/5/07]

Cuccinelli's Bill Similar to Mississippi Personhood Bill that Defined Life As Beginning From Fertilization

In November 2011, the Huffington Post reported: “Mississippi voters Tuesdaydefeated a ballot initiative that would've declared life begins at fertilization, a proposal that supporters sought in the Bible Belt state as a way to prompt a legal challenge to abortion rights nationwide.” [Huffington Post, 11/8/11]

Cuccinelli Pushed for Passage of 2012 Personhood Bill 

In February 2012, the News and Advance reported, “Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Mat Staver, dean of Liberty University's law school, spoke at a rally Wednesday supporting the “personhood” bill making its way through the General Assembly. They urged a crowd on Capitol Square to contact state senators who will soon vote on House Bill 1, passed by the House of Delegateson Tuesday. The measure extends fundamental rights claimed in the Declaration of Independence to unborn children, both Cuccinelli and Staver said. ‘This personhood bill recognizes a scientific reality. Life begins at conception,’ said Cuccinelli, a candidate for governor. ‘Make sure you talk to your senators. Advocate for this issue.’” [News and Advance, 2/16/12]

National Infertility Association: Under Personhood Bill, In-Vitro Fertilization “Will Be Unlawful”

In February 2012, Barbara Collura, executive director of the National Infertility Association issued a press release that said: “Even though assisted conception is currently lawful in Virginia and even mentioned in Virginia Code Section 20-156, HB1 is designed to change that and to make any action that risks a microscopic embryo unlawful.  So, Section 7's supposed exemption for assisted conception is really no protection at all; IVF as practiced to the standard of care will be unlawful.” [RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, 2/16/12]

AP: Personhood Bill “Would Effectively Outlaw All Virginia Abortions”

In February 2012, the AP reported: “Del. Bob Marshall's House Bill 1 would effectively outlaw all Virginia abortions by declaring that the rights of persons apply from the moment sperm and egg unite.” [AP, 2/15/12]

Cuccinelli Opposed Abortion “Even In Cases Of Rape Or Incest”

In August 2002, the Washington Post reported that Cuccinelli “imbued the campaign with his antiabortion message. Cuccinelli opposes the procedure even in cases of rape or incest.” [Washington Post, 8/7/02]

Paid for by the Democratic Party of Virginia

From the conference call a few minutes ago, here’s what Sen. Herring and Professor Michael Mann had to say. Bolding added by me for emphasis. This makes me very proud to be supporting and consulting for the Herring for Attorney General campaign!

Sen. Herring:

The reason I asked you all to join on the call today is because I think it’s important to talk about the incident that happened a few years ago in which Ken Cuccinelli led a witch hunt against Dr. Mann. This is important…first of all, it was one of two incidences early in Cuccinelli’s term that made me really start to consider running for Attorney General…it’s a clear example of what the wrong person with the wrong priorities who wants to push an extreme agenda can do in this office, and why it’s important that we Virginians elect someone who will put people first.

It is a crystal clear example that Ken Cuccinelli will disregard the law, disregard education, disregard research, disregard a professor, and disregard the reputation of both one of the finest institutions in the state – UVA – and the state as a whole, all to push his own extreme ideology.

I think Dr. Mann’s work is important, I believe in science, and believe that climate change is man made, and leaders need to start stepping up to the plate to address this problem. I also believe the Office of Attorney General is about problem solving and not politics. It should be about helping to keep Virginians safe, and not push an extreme agenda.

But that’s not what Ken Cuccinelli has done, and that’s not what the clones lining up to replace him believe. They are willing to use the office for scoring political points with the most extreme, right-wing faction of the Republican Party. And they believe that if you don’t agree with someone, you can just sue them and tie them up in litigation. That’s not the type of Attorney General I’ll be. I’ll get the politics out of the office and put the law first.

See the “flip” for Professor Mann’s statement, including his strong endorsement of Mark Herring for AG, based on the “brave stance that [Herring] took very early on, when my colleagues and I at the University of Virginia were subject to what the Washington Post called a witch hunt by the Attorney General.”

Dr. Mann:

Well, it’s a pleasure to be supporting Senator Herring. He was, in fact, one of the very first politicians who came out to defend me and the University of Virginia several years ago when Ken Cuccinelli engaged in this assault on us, on the University of Virginia, and on the scientific establishment in general…

What [Cuccinelli] did was completely unacceptable. Many have called it an abuse of power. It was an effort to discredit me, to attack me, through using a loophole of Virginia law to issue a civil subpoena based on the claim that because my…research on climate change and his view that the science of climate change is somehow fraudulent…

This was an excuse for him to use…to go after me, to go after the University of Virginia, it cost taxpayers in the state presumably hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars to pursue this witch hunt. That’s money that could have been better spent in dealing with the very real work that has to be done to help Virginia adapt to climate change…the threat of sea level to Virginia’s coast line, to the naval fleet in Norfolk (the national security community is very concerned about that).

There are real things, important things that we could be doing, and that Virginians could be doing, and that their politicians could be helping them with. But instead, Cuccinelli went on this partisan witch hunt in an effort to discredit me and my science, because he doesn’t accept the reality of climate change even though it is the overwhelming consensus of the world’s scientists that climate change is real. Just the other day we passed 400 parts per million CO2 in our atmosphere for the first time in millions of years.

And, so, it’s a wake-up call that this is a real problem. We need to do something about it. We need a good-faith, honest debate among our policymakers about how to contend with this problem. But we can’t continue to bury our heads in the sand, as people like Cuccinelli would like to do. So, like I said before, it’s a real honor to be endorsing and supporting Senator Herring, because of the brave stance that he took very early on, when my colleagues and I at the University of Virginia were subject to what the Washington Post called a witch hunt by the Attorney General.

Here’s some video from Del. Alfonso Lopez’s 2nd annual “Politics in the Park” fundraiser event, held earlier this evening at Barcroft Park in Arlington. The event was very well attended – probably 150 people or more – and Del. Lopez raised around $20,000 for his own campaign as well as other Democratic House of Delegates campaigns. See the “flip” for video of speeches by Lt. Governor candidate Aneesh Chopra (introduction by Del. Lopez) and Attorney General candidate Mark Herring (also introduced by Del. Lopez). Note that neither Chopra’s nor Herring’s Democratic opponents attended the event. Also note that Chopra won the LG straw poll with 88% of the vote, and Mark Herring won the AG straw poll with 67% of the vote.