Planned Parenthood Action Fund Condemns the Confirmation of Jonathan Kobes to the Eighth Circuit 

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm judicial nominee Jonathan Kobesfor a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Planned Parenthood Action Fund issued the following statement:

Statement from Dr. Leana Wen, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

Jonathan Kobes has represented anti-abortion counseling centers and defended dangerous laws that force physicians like me to provide misinformation to patients seeking abortion care. As a doctor, I have to look at the data, and Kobes’ record makes it crystal clear that he cannot be trusted to defend people’s rights and access to care. This is about people’s lives - this is a lifetime appointment and people's health will suffer because of Jonathan Kobes’ rulings on the Eighth Circuit.

Statement from Dana Singiser, Vice President of Public Policy & Government Affairs at Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

If Jonathan Kobes’ nomination process was a job interview, he wouldn’t have the qualifications to make it past the first round. The Trump-Pence administration and their allies in Congress don’t care that Kobes received a ‘not-qualified’ rating from the American Bar Association. Their priority is remaking a whole branch of government as a tool to control women’s bodies. Throughout their many judicial confirmations, Trump, Pence, and McConnell have put ideology over merit to the detriment of people’s health and rights. Planned Parenthood Action Fund vehemently condemns Jonathan Kobes’ confirmation.

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.