Planned Parenthood Makes North Carolina a Federal Priority State with Launch of Seven-Figure Ground Game Investment
For Immediate Release: Sept. 26, 2016
The Organizations Launch Seven-Figure Program Ground Game with Six Figure Digital Ad Buy
New ‘Hey McCrory’ Video Series Lays Out what is at Stake for Women in North Carolina
Raleigh, NC - Today, Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Planned Parenthood Votes announced the launch of their massive seven figure electoral program in North Carolina. The seven-figure ground game operation and six figure digital ad buy will focus on winning the Senate and presidential race in that state, as well as electing Roy Cooper and pro-women’s candidates down ticket. This announcement coincides with the launch of a video series targeting Republican Governor Pat McCrory for his dangerous positions on women’s health. The seven figure program marks Planned Parenthood’s shift of North Carolina to a federal priority state.
Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina will knock on over 200,000 doors in a massive seven-figure paid effort and volunteer canvassing in counties such as Wake and Mecklenburg. Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina is running an aggressive field program focused on canvassing, phone banking, and grassroots organizing to engage with women and young voters that will continue through November 8, 2016. Planned Parenthood Action Fund will be sending mail to over 100,000 households. Planned Parenthood Votes will go up with a $400,000 digital ad program.
"Planned Parenthood Votes will not stand by as Donald Trump, Richard Burr and Pat McCrory attempt to take us backward. That’s why we’re taking action in North Carolina,” said Deirdre Schifeling, Executive Director of PP Votes. “Donald Trump is a dangerous bully who will make things worse for women and families in North Carolina. Richard Burr has used public office to push policies that make it harder for people to access affordable birth control and the full range of reproductive health care services. Women and families must have the freedom to access the health care services they need. Any politician who stands in the way instead of standing with women and families is going to be sent packing in November."
"Governor McCrory has shown time and again that he has no problem breaking his promise to the women of North Carolina. The truth is no governor in our state's history has signed into law more restrictions on safe and legal abortion than Pat McCrory,” said Paige Johnson, head of Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina. “He doesn’t believe women deserve the right to make deeply personal health decisions without government intrusion. This fall, we’re knocking on doors and making phone calls to hundreds of thousands of North Carolina voters to make sure they know exactly where Pat McCrory stands on women’s health. North Carolinians are fed up with McCrory’s extreme politics and his relentless attacks on women’s health won’t fly in 2016.”
Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina launched the first of a series of videos focused on educating and mobilizing North Carolina women and families on Governor Pat McCrory’s destructive policies. The videos entitled “Hey McCrory” will be released to thousands will inform voters of Governor McCrory’s track record of attacking women’s health, inserting itself into doctor’s offices, and discriminating against the LGBT population, while educating voters about our endorsed candidates and their strong records of standing up for women’s health care.
The video series called "#HeyMcCrory" shares why North Carolinians are fired up in opposition to Governor McCrory’s destructive policies.
Fact: Governor Pat McCrory is Bad for North Carolina Women and Families
McCrory Endangered Women’s Health By Passing Anti-Abortion Legislation:
McCrory imposed a medically unnecessary three day waiting period on women seeking abortion in North Carolina: “Gov. Pat McCrory says he will sign a bill to require a 72-hour wait before an abortion and rejected Thursday criticism that the action runs counter to what he said about abortion during his 2012 election campaign. ‘The fact of the matter is, due to my work and others' work, we did not add further restrictions to access’ to abortions, McCrory said at a press conference.” [Citizen-Times, 6/4/15]
#StockpilingSonos: The law requires doctors to submit ultrasounds to state officials: “The law requires doctors who perform an abortion after the 16th week of pregnancy to send the State Department of Health and Human Services the method used to determine the “probable gestational age” of the fetus, the measurements used to support the assertion and, most controversially, an ultrasound showing the measurements.” [The New York Times, 1/11/16]
The “Motorcycle Vagina bill”: The law severely restrict access to safe and legal abortion by imposing burdensome, costly and medically unnecessary requirements on facilities and doctors who provide abortion care. The law also strips city and county employees of abortion coverage in their health plans even in medical situations that jeopardize a woman’s health or cases of severe fetal anomalies. It also denies abortion coverage to women and their families who buy health insurance through North Carolina’s health care exchange even when they use their own money to purchase their plan. [CNN, 7/29/13] The Majority of North Carolina voters disapproved of the abortion restrictions in the bill: Polls showed that 80 percent of North Carolina voters thought it was inappropriate to tuck abortion restrictions into a motorcycle safety bill. [Public Policy Polling, 7/16/13] Governor McCrory’s only response to breaking his promise by signing this extreme measure into law was to bring women’s health advocates protesting his action cookies. (Washington Post, 8/1/13)
McCrory banned Planned Parenthood from Competing for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grants Despite Proven Programs:
McCrory signed into law a measure banning Planned Parenthood from receiving state teen pregnancy prevention funding despite the fact that the nonprofit consecutively won these grants because they ran successful programs, including one that helps teen moms delay having a second child until she finishes high school. McCrory obviously would rather play political games than try to help teenagers in North Carolina who become pregnant each year. Teen pregnancy prevention programs reduce teen pregnancy by helping young people to either postpone intercourse or use condoms and other forms of birth control when they do have sex. But McCrory doesn’t care about that –– he’s too busy playing politics. A majority of voters in nearly every demographic category — including Republicans, Democrats, and independents, as well as Roman Catholics and evangelical Christians — support comprehensive sex education.
McCrory Discriminates Against Transgender Individuals:
McCrory signed HB2, a discriminatory bathroom law that says people must use the bathroom that matches their gender at birth: “That law—introduced, passed, and signed during an unusual one-day special session on March 23—prevents transgender people from using bathrooms corresponding to the gender with which they identify in state schools and government facilities. It also prevents cities from creating LGBT non-discrimination ordinances or raising local minimum wages. The bill was passed in response to a Charlotte ordinance requiring schools and businesses to make transgender bathroom accommodations and prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people.” [The Atlantic, 4/12/16]
President Obama called for the law to be overturned: “President Barack Obama on Friday joined the growing chorus of voices calling on North Carolina legislators to overturn a new law that sets discrimination policy statewide…."The laws that have been passed there are wrong and should be overturned," Obama said.” [wral.com, 4/22/16]