Planned Parenthood Action Fund Targets Dean Heller With 6-Figure Digital Ad Buy on Kavanaugh Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Planned Parenthood Action Fund is launching a targeted, six-figure digital ad buy in Nevada that criticizes Dean Heller for calling the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh a “hiccup” and urges Nevadans to call Heller and ask him to vote no on Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

When Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward with her story about sexual assault, Heller reportedly referred to this as a “hiccup”. The Nevada Independent reports that on a VIP conference call with donors

Heller said, “we got a little hiccup here with the Kavanaugh nomination, we’ll get through this and we’ll get off to the races.”

Statement from Deirdre Schifeling, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

Last week, people around the country watched in stunned silence as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford shared a dark and traumatic memory, unequivocally naming her attacker under oath. Dean Heller dismissed Dr. Blasey Ford’s experience as only a “hiccup” in Kavanaugh’s nomination process. His words devalue and ignore the millions of women who are survivors of sexual assault.

“It is profoundly irresponsible for Senator Heller to continue to support Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination. Kavanaugh has no business being in a position to judge women's health and rights on the highest court of the land. A vote to confirm Kavanaugh is a vote against the right to safe, legal abortion, a vote against those who access health care through the Affordable Care Act, and a vote to ignore survivors of sexual violence. It is shocking that Dean Heller would support this nominee. Survivors, women, and people in Nevada have been clear that they reject Brett Kavanaugh and expect Dean Heller to do the same.

Sexual assault can be a traumatic, life-changing event. Sexual assault is more common than many people think; it is vastly underreported for multiple reasons, including that approximately seven out of 10 assaults are committed by someone known to the victim. The unfortunate truth is that too many people who come forward with an experience of sexual assault suffer further hurt and humiliation by having their story dismissed, their integrity doubted, or their motives questioned.

Poll after poll after poll has shown that opposition to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination has reached historic proportions and that women are roundly rejecting the nomination.

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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.